-Chrysalis Stage-
by Imagine-write-and-love
Summary: She's different. She feels different. Mila is broken beyond words and doesn't think she can get out of her abyss of pain. Until the day two mysterious brothers arrive in the small town of Mystic Falls. One wants more than anything to kill her and the other, to save her from herself. From there, Mila finds herself immersed in the supernatural world and can't go back ...
1. Chapter 1 : Summetime Sadness

**_Hello everyone,_**

 ** _I know for some this story might be familiar. It's currently a story that I first wrote in my language (French), on another account which I forgot the password and the address (Screw me) .._**

 ** _Anyway, I decided to publish it again on this account so I hope you like it._**

 ** _PS :_** ** _Mila's mute dialogs are in italics and the paragraphs in italics and underline are passages from her diary._**

 ** _Enjoy !_**

* * *

 **Chapter one : Summertime Sadness**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _It's said that there are five stages of mourning. Denial. Anger. The negotiation. Depression and finally, acceptance. Five simple words that solve a tragedy of life into a banality. I would like to think like that but as John Irvin said. "When you lose someone, when you don't expect it, you don't lose it at once; we lose it piece by piece. "_ _  
_ _I guess if you're referring to the stages, I'm in the fourth phase. I don't know how I feel about it. In fact, I feel no more at all._ _  
_ _Today is the day of school and I know I should be writing how I would do everything to take control of my life. God knows Elena is probably writing this right now but I'm not her._ _  
_ _In fact, she and I are the opposite. When she spent her time getting her busy summer to avoid her phases of self-pity. I was cloistered between the four walls of my room just staring into space and waiting for the days to pass._ _  
_ _Until yesterday, I had been like that and had not said a single word. It was always the case, by the way. I had never been a great speaker anyway. I preferred to observe in silence and passed through. And that was how I started my year. Silently …_

I closed the notebook worn by the years and let my fingers dragged on the engraving with nostalgia. It was a gift from my mother. She always said that writing was the cure for madness and I always laughed for it knowingly. If I did not have this notebook, I would have sunk. Well, much more than I already have.

I got up from my bed with my notebook still in my hand and knelt on my floor. I became aware of the noise coming from the floor in a state of preservation and pulled the lath of the floor before hiding my notebook in the sight of all. I had discovered this hideout from the day Jeremy, my twin had dared to read my journal.

If I was the opposite of Elena, I was even more of my own twin. In fact, I was the strange one among my family or rather among those who stayed.

I could already hear the hysterical voices of Aunt Jenna and Elena from below, so I took my bag and slung it over my shoulder. I did not even bother to check my outfit, not really worrying about it. I already knew that I wore a simple black T-shirt and black skinny jeans and a pair of black and white vans. Total look, black. Typically, cliché depressive you will tell me but wait to see the total look smashed my brother. Everyone knew he had been on drugs since the parents' deaths, yet no one moved a finger. I guess it was the same for me. My silence scared them just like my amorphous state and yet, like Jeremy, they did nothing.

No, not that it would make any difference anyway. I was too stubborn to even listen and did not care what people thought of me. Unlike

Jeremy it was not a desperate act of call for attention. No ! I was so and I indulged in silence.

When I took the kitchen step, I could feel every eye on me as I walked over to the coffee machine and poured myself a cup. I totally ignored their eyes knowing that they would not delay continuing with their routine and raised the cup to my lips.

As I had planned, Jenna soon resumed her hysterical stimulation.

"Oh! This is your first day of classes and I am already completely overwhelmed. '' She admits before handing us bills in front of our eyes.'' Money for lunch? ''

"No, that's fine." Elena politely refused, shaking her hand.

 _Talk for you. It makes us more._

I took the bills just like Jeremy and put down my cup before taking Elena's share in front of Jenna and my dear sister and brother.

I stared at each other, challenging them to say something and nonchalantly shrugging my shoulders when I knew they were going to keep their thoughts to themselves.

"At least it's a reaction." I heard Jenna mutter quietly to Elena and was dying to roll her eyes.''Something else ? Pencil, another important forgetting? "

I looked up at the clock knowing that she had a class in just a few minutes and Elena took it upon me.

With a silly smile, she reminded her of her thesis and as I had planned, Jenna panicked completely. She tidied up all her books in a messy bag and untied the elastic band of her long hair, leaving her Venetian curls fallen to her back just as she said she was late. And then, ran through the door in a gust of wind. Leaving the three of us in heavy silence.

As Elena turned to Jeremy with that empathic look, I could not help but roll my eyes in anticipation of what was coming.

"Are you okay?" She asked Jeremy, knowing that I would not bother to answer and Jeremy's grunt was almost instantaneous. '' Stop with that. ''

He poured his cup into the sink and took off in a matter of seconds. Elena turned to me probably getting the same question and I did not even bother to listen to her as I walked out of the kitchen and walked straight for the door.

I grabbed my leather jacket on the way and put it on before closing the door behind me and down the steps.

My car was patiently waiting in the driveway and I walked straight to my red SUV, brand new.

For everything I was dealing with, Elena was going to high school with Bonnie Bennett aka Elena's best friend in chief and then there was Caroline Forbes, the friend to insecurity and tactlessness.

I did not hate anyone. No really. But I did not feel much interest in them, that's all. There was a time when my brother and I were close but that was before.

On my way to high school, I watched the busy streets and shops of the small town of Mystic Falls and frowned at the strange sight of crows. They were not prevalent in the area and for all I knew, they had bad reputations. I scoffed at the reputations and continued my observation until I arrived on the already filled high school car park.

After parking, I shut off the engine and took my bag in the back seat before getting out of the cockpit and locked the doors with a long breath.

It was the moment.

The moment I had to face the empathic glances I hated so much. I did not like being in the center of attention let alone complaining. All I wanted was to go unnoticed and being one of the new orphans of the city was not helping.

My eyes were immediately drawn to the corner of the local drug addicts and I shook my head sadly at the sight of Jeremy, Vicki Donovan and Tyler Lockwood who seemed in full argument.

These two were also Elena's friends and well, Vicki not so much. She was mostly Matt's older sister who was Elena's ex-boyfriend and for all I knew, they did not get along so well. If only Elena knew that Vicki and Jeremy had been sleeping together all summer, she would probably be close to syncope.

 _How did I know? Easy, I told you that when we shut up and observe the environment, we could see things that people didn't pay attention to._

I drowned in the sea of teenagers and paced the corridors for my locker. From the moment I arrived in front of the metal door, I dialed my code. 58: 32: 66. and opened the door to lighten my bag and closed the door and the locks.

Just as I was about to go to class, I hit a trunk hard, obvious as muscular as I took a step back to the impact and dropped my stuff in clumsiness.

I immediately fell on my knees and tried to pick up my things in haste.

'' I am really sorry. I didn't see you and ... I'm really sorry."The young man apologized, almost nervous as he began to help me pick up my things and I looked up to meet the greenest eyes that I had never seen.

It was not really their colors that interested me the most but the experience they carried in them. It was as if, one could immediately feel in such eyes. It was almost scary and at the same time fascinating.

My eyes drifted a little more on him. He had a strong square jaw and slightly pale skin. From what I could see and felt, he possessed a strong build and broad shoulders. I could easily compare him to one of those models my sister drooled over all the time.

Not speaking, I sat up with my things and saw him handing me one of my books with a sheepish smile. "I'm Stefan. Stefan Salvatore. ''

 _Salvatore? I was gauging him now with suspicion. I knew only one Salvatore and he lived alone in a huge manor and had no descendants._

The more I took in his person and the more a feeling of gold was released. I did not really know what to think about it but chose to think later as I took the book he handed me and put out my hand to shake his.

He eyed my hand with an eyebrow raised in curiosity before squeezing it with a friendly smile."I didn't hear a name."

Well, it was going to have to do as I shrugged and tightened my books against my chest as I walked to my next class.

I could easily feel his eyes piercing holes with confusion and curiosity in my back and I continued my merry way with the thought of this Stefan Salvatore.

* * *

Overall, the day had gone out of focus and I was already at my last class without even noticing it.

Thanks to my studious notes, I had gone to the next grade and, for my greatest boredom, found myself in the same class of history as my dear sister. I could already feel her vicious little chocolate brown eyes following me the moment I walked in the door and I was now heading to my usual place in the middle of the second row from the windows just to see it was already busy.

I raised my eyebrows with a slight surprise at the sight of Stefan sitting in my place before letting my stoic face take shape.

At sight, the boy gave me a bright smile making me nervous at the same time since I knew that most of my sister's friends and my sister were watching us closely.

I decided to leave him my place to avoid getting more attention and I sat at the seat not far from his before refocusing my attention to the front of the class. My worst nightmares came just then, and I was already dreading this year with his mere sight.

Mr. Tanner.

Man was a real scourge of education and I wondered each year why he was still in that position. The only real pleasure he got in his profession was when he belittled his students and I could tell you that he was happy to target the Gilbert family. Partly because of Jeremy but I knew that I was his favorite target. After all, I was the only one who could endure his insults without flinching once.

However, he might have been introspective and decided to leave me in peace or he was acting like everyone else, out of pity as he continued his whole course, barely giving me a hateful look.

On the other hand, I could easily notice the long exchanges of glances across the room between Stefan and Elena.

Well, it looks like she did well to undervalue Matt. Not that I had anything against the football star quarterback, but it was way too easy for Elena. She needed something much more ... adventurous.

Finally the bell rang interrupting my thoughts and I was in a hurry to pick up my things in relief to have done through the day and headed straight for the exit.

I had left half of my stuff in my locker, so I did not have to go back to my SUV and get into the comfort of my room.

I would probably go through some books or even playing my guitar before doing my homework and writing in my diary before dinner and eventually going to bed. A boring life you will say but that was exactly what I needed. After the loss of all my haunts on the death of my parents, I needed to get some semblance of normality again and since I did not really like anything, it was already a great victory for me.

I was halfway to my car when a familiar voice chanting my name stopped me in my step. I turned my back with a raised eyebrow and saw Elena running straight to me with a broad smile.

"Hey! I wanted to know if you wanted to go and see Mom and Dad with me? "She suggested, hoping and I had to restrain myself from looking at her with an annoyed grimace.

 _Of course, that would be great! A bond of bonding sister to the cemetery. I'm going now, with this step._

Instead, I just nodded, lowering Elena's expression in a worried frown and took the step back to my SUV.

I climbed into the driver's seat and girded myself before putting the engine on once Elena had fastened herself. I could see the growing anxiety on Elena's face as we rolled and could not blame her.

After being in the accident with the parents, it was quite understandable. Even me who had not been in the accident, I had become much more distressed at the wheel.

I could see out of the corner of my eye as Elena is in her seat, constantly throwing hesitant glances at me and just wanted to scream at her to say what she had on her damn mind already, but instead I was totally impassive.

Finally, Elena turned to me with that softening look that I dreaded.

"'Mila," she called softly, making me look at her from the side as she listened. "You can't keep shut up in silence."

 _A little that I can!_

I could see Elena looking at me expectantly but kept my lips closed by refocusing my attention on the road.

"Damn it, Mila." Elena sighed, sounding frustrated as she repositioned herself in her seat."You haven't said a single word since the funeral and you kept shutting yourself in your room all the time this summer. I'm worried about you.''

 _She did not have to be. I lived fully my life like that and I did not want attention. I just wanted ... I wanted to be left alone. To myself and no longer feel that empty interior hollow that continued to follow me wherever I went._

 _I wanted to walk into my house again and feel the smell of mom's special muffins. I wanted to go to the living room and find daddy watching a Yankees game with Jeremy and more, I wanted my life before. But we all knew that it was impossible, so I would remain locked in my silence and continue to put my life in order, my way.  
_

I switched off the engine, once in front of the graveyard doors and remained anchored in my seat as Elena again looked desperate to hear my voice. '' Mil, you know that's not what parents would like for you. At least, Jeremy, I can help him with the pills but you. You don't say anything. "

 _I wanted to tell her that it was because I was broken beyond the repairable but remained silent looking straight ahead._

''Are you listening to me?" Barked Elena, exasperated now as she grabbed my face for me to look into her eyes." Say something. I don't know, make a sound. Talk to me, Mila! Please. "

She exploded, imploring as her gaze softened in despair as she saw I was slightly startled at her glare.

She pulled away, grabbing her bag in exasperation, and got out of the car, slamming the door hard to emphasize her anger. I straightened up, following her fleeing figure through the graveyard gate and sank back into my seat, looking up at the sky with a sigh.

I stood there watching the gray ceiling of my SUV, without feeling anything except this pain sweeping all my other emotions.

 _I wanted to scream, cry, say how painful I was, but this pain paralyzed me completely. It was a part of what kept me from talking. I could not do anything without feeling this presence. It was like those people who had a limb amputated and could still feel it. This pain, this pain was like a person in its own right. She was with me every moment and whatever, what I was trying to get her off, she was there._

I did not know how long I sat there, staring into space and thoughts jostling in my mind but when Elena got back into the passenger seat. She had an intriguing expression. She smirked, but frowned, pensive. I wondered what could have put her in this state but kept as usual for me.

* * *

I had driven to the house in a quasi-religious silence and had returned home following Elena. No words exchanged between us. She had gone up to her room and I had made my way in mine. It was like that the rest of the way was past.

I was on my bed when an idea came up. Elena's words still hung in my mind and whatever, what I did, they kept coming back at a gallop. I gauged my pair of Vans in indecision before getting up on a whim and put them on before grabbing my leather jacket on the back of my desk chair and checking the pockets for my car keys before I donning.

I rushed down the stairs with a determined step by jumping the last two steps before stopping in my walk at the sight in front of me. On the doorstep was Stefan Salvatore, who seemed as surprised as I was and looked between Elena and me with a puzzled frown.

Elena also noticed his confusion and went back and forth between me and Stefan.

"Stefan, I'll introduce you Mila. My little sister. " Elena introduced, turning to me and I rolled my eyes the use of _little_. "Mila, it's Stefan Salvatore."

'' Oh! We've met once before." Explained Stefan with a smile to my attention," I knew I would get your name. "

Elena's expression darkened at this statement and she looked at Stefan, nervous. "Mila ... Mila doesn't really talk anymore."

''Oh! " It was all Stefan could get as he put his confused eyes on me. '' She speaks sign language? "

He suggested make me roll my eyes again.

 _I was not dumb or even deaf. Why people automatically thought about that. I could see Elena's nervousness grow as she gesticulated quietly and I turned to her waiting for her to explain that._

'' No. She just stopped talking."She answered, softly the sadness seeped into her voice and it was more than I could take.

I walked to the door ignoring the surprise and confusion on Stefan's face and passed him on my way to my car. I could feel their gaze on me until I pulled out on the road and even then, I was sure they had followed me until I was out of sight.

She did not have to act as sad or even nervous about it. It was just how I was, and she should accept it sooner or later. Although it would be better, early.

I drove for a good half hour without really knowing where I was going and finally, received the desire for nutrition. It was rather strange for me since I had not felt satiety for a long time. I even lost more than ten pounds in the summer and had to buy new clothes, two sizes below. I had never been fat in the first place, but I was more fit than I am now. Although it did not matter to me. It was not like I cared about my appearance.

I parked in the familiar parking lot of the Grill. A bar where most of the city met almost every night and the teenagers liked to hang out. I felt a slight apprehension about going out since I had not been out for several months and had to take a deep breath to calm my heartbeat and my anxiety down. I removed the keys from the contact and checked my pockets for my cell phone and my wallet before going down and walking through the front door.

From the moment I stepped inside the bar, I was enveloped by that rustic warmth and pop music that swept away and swept the room quickly. As I had expected, most of the teenagers were already there and were advocating on the pool tables or the multiple booths.

 _ **POV Elena**_

Elena was sitting at one of the Mystic Grill booths next to Stefan and in front of Bonnie and Caroline who kept questioning Stefan for information when Bonnie looked up, widening her eyes in disbelief to rest her eyes on Elena.

'' Oh my God." She exhaled, alerting everyone to the table. "Elena, you should watch this."

Elena looked in the direction that Bonnie looked like everyone else at the table and the brunette's eyes widened as she saw her little sister standing at the entrance.

She seemed nervous as she watched her surroundings and Elena could not help worrying about her. It was already difficult with Jeremy under the drugs, but Mila was an even harder problem to handle. She did not know what to do to make her talk again.

Whenever she saw her, she looked blank and that expression annihilated as if she carried all the pain on her shoulders. She knew that the death of their parents had particularly affected her sister since she was closest to them, but she did not understand why she stopped talking. Before, she had always been more or less reserved, but she spoke, smiled and acted like a teenager now, she only looked like an empty shell having lost all its essence.

"We should tell her to come with us. Don't you think?" Bonnie suggested, posing her hesitant brown orbs on Elena.

'' Why? It's not like she's going to be part of the conversation." Caroline escaped and Elena let her gaze on her in disbelief. The blonde had the decency to look sheepish as she looked away.'' Sorry. ''

"She's been around like this for a long time?"Questioned Stefan, immediately drawing Elena's attention to him with envy.

The coppery brown stared at Elena and she felt her heart pounding under her piercing gaze.

He had had the gift of making her feel like that ever since they met each other in the men's restroom or rather in front of the men's restroom and she had not felt so alive since her parents' death. It was as if he could make her feel like the only girl in the room with one glance. Then she remembered that he had asked a question about Mila and she looked back at her sister to find that she was gone.

She immediately looked for her through the Grill and her eyes fell when she found her sitting alone at one of the booths with a menu in her hands.

"Since her parents died." Bonnie explained, taking Elena's lack of response for a moment of painful inattention.

'' But she's never been a talkative type. '' Caroline, in turn, resumed her gossiping tone and Elena turned around with a frown. "Or has never really had any friends."

'' Really?" Stefan rebuked, his tone slightly astonished as he frowned as he thought back to his earlier introduction with the young Gilbert.

"Mila has always been more studious and reserved. That's why she skipped a class." Bonnie explained, giving Elena a worried look for fear she was saying something bad.

She was well aware of Elena's ragged relationship with her sister and how it was reaching her.

Stefan, who had noticed Elena's moody mood, turned to her.

"I'm sure it'll be fine with her." He said softly, looking attentively at the pretty brunette and staring at her, stunned.

There was a silence around the table as Elena and Stefan got a tacit exchange of glances and Caroline who watched them with envy popped up to get Stefan's attention back on her again.''By the way Stefan, you're new here then know that there will be a little party tomorrow. "

"Yeah." Bonnie agreed as Stefan and Elena looked at the two girls now. "But like a high school party."

Stefan looked at Elena again. "Are you planning on going?"

Elena was so hypnotized by his eyes that she did not answer at first, and Bonnie took the opportunity to answer in her place, in a cheerful tone.

"Of course, she will go."

 _ **POV Mila**_

I had settled in one of Elena's most distant booths and her friends as I spotted her during my tour of the bar and was surprised to find Stefan by their side.

On the other hand, the looks he had been exchanging with Elena since I was sitting, something was happening.

The waiter who had taken my order came back with the order and gave me a much too bright smile for my taste while laying down my burger, fried and I thanked him with a nod of my head before gauging the food.

Now that I had the food in front of me, I was no longer sure I was very hungry. I had eaten a tiny amount for so long that I was not sure I could eat it properly.

After measuring the food for more than ten minutes without really doing anything, I got up from my seat and put the money on the table with my dinner intact before making my way to the exit.

The carpark of the Grill had been considerably emptied since my arrival and the dark night enveloped the air all around me. It was almost sinister. Papers flew to the floor like one of these creepy scary movies, and even one of the streetlights flickered on and off.

A frown stained my face as I made my way to my car and I could not possibly stop looking over my shoulder at the slightest sound. It was just as if this feeling of being watched could not leave me.

I hurriedly searched for my keys in a rather frenetic way in my jacket pockets and felt a deep sense of relief when I was in the safety of my SUV. I rested my head on the chassis with a long sigh and glanced at the Grill and its lights.

I could definitely call that night a failure.

* * *

I lay on my bed, my eyes riveted on the ceiling and my long brown hair spreading around me. A silence enveloped me and only Jenna's thundering steps from the first floor could be heard. I knew I had to get up and get ready for high school, but I did not want to move.

Sometimes the hollow in my chest was so deep that I no longer had the strength to get up and face the reality. Today was one of these days.

It was the effect of depression. We never knew when she was going to hit the hardest.

 _Tick, tick, tick, tick._

The irritating noise beckoned me, and I frowned, arching my head to the side to find that the source of the noise was a crow beaching on my window. As if he had felt my gaze, he stopped hitting and was now just watching me with his head bowed, almost with ... curiosity.

 _If it was not a funny bird, I did not know what had happened._

I shrugged and returned to my silent observation of the ceiling. It was an alabaster white and some plaster crack had formed over the years. I used to think that every little crackle represented how broken I was.

I heard the opening of the door of my room and could feel the new presence at my side. I remained motionless like a statue and kept my very position. The sigh of termination was soon heard, followed closely by the closing of the door and I knew I was alone again.

 _Figure, that today would be a day of absence._

After a few hours of morbid contemplation, the noises stopped and only the sound of my regular breathing could be heard. I finally decided to get out of bed and walked straight for my dresser and grabbed the first clothes I could get. That is, skinny black jeans, a dark green long-sleeved T-shirt and my old pair of tennis shoes.

Once dressed, I went down the stairs and grabbed my jacket on the flight before heading out onto the deserted streets of Mystic Falls.

The whole city was busy working or to go to high school, the place where I should be right now. But instead, I wandered the streets of Mystic Falls with my hands in my jacket pockets and did not really know where I was going.

At one point, I had dug into the familiar woods of the city and now walked between the trees and the greenery of the forest.

The leaves were crunching under my feet and my hair was flying in the fresh air. The forest had the gift of soothing my pain, it was as if, the silence made me a little more alive. More myself, in a sense.

It was crazy, but I felt safe through the woods.

That was why I was surprised to jump at the next crackling noise that followed. I turned around alertly and widened my eyes at the sight of a man.

'' Take it easy. I did n't want to scare you." He said with his hands raised in surrender, but something told me he was lying.

Maybe it was his sly smile or the way his bluish orbs shone with intensity.

For the second time in two days, I let myself be absorbed by the boy's eyes and couldn't discern any feeling. It was as if, it was empty and hollow inside. It reminded me of myself somehow and I let my eyes hang around with more curiosity about him.

He had that dark, almost sinister aura, and that was not just because he wore a total black look.

Bad boy black leather jacket, black jeans, black shirt and black biker boot. He must have been in his twenties. His features were angular and his jaw protruding. His pale skin contrasted with his jet-black hair in a messy style and I could not help but think about Stefan.

Something in this guy reminded me of Salvatore but I did not really know if that was a good thing or a terrible thing.

Honestly, if I could feel the dark attraction at Stefan's, I could still feel goodness but in this guy, everything was darkness.

I had goosebumps, so much that I took a step back unconsciously that did not escape the piercing gaze of the man.

''What is a little girl like you doing alone in the woods?" He questioned as he took a step forward with that mocking smile again and I frowned at the appellation.

I was certainly small but I was not a little girl.

"Well, the cat lost his tongue? ''

There was no way in hell I was going to answer him, let alone stay around.

This guy was scary, and I was not going to stay longer to see my thoughts proved. If that happened, he was a psychopath crawling through the woods in search of his victims.

I started to walk in the direction I had come, but he was at my side in a split second with a thick frown.

"It is impolite to ignore people." He said in a sermon tone even though the fun was much more prominent in his voice to be taken seriously. "Your parents never taught you that? ''

Honestly, I did not know what had taken me. If it was the climbing irritation that this guy was giving me where then my inner panic about his insistence but the next words that left my lips were full of hate and coldness to take your breath away.

"They're dead, asshole."

The sound of my voice was enough for me to stop in my walk and I looked straight ahead, eyes wide in the realization.

 _One, I had spoken. Two, I had insulted a hypothetical psychopath and three, I had spoken.  
_

"I'm sorry." He said with respect and I stared incredulously at him.

His expression told me he was anything but sorry. If it was something, had fun by my tantrum.

I shook my head, annoyed and turned to get away from this jerk but unfortunately for me, he fell into the steps with me, without any effort.

He probably had to be several more heads than me and had long legs, allowing him to easily support the pace. To say that it did not reassure me in the least was a euphemism.

''So you still have not answered my question. '' Did he intervene in his tone? '' What is a little girl like you doing in the woods alone? ''

It appears I had repressed anger as I clenched my fists tightly and felt my nails dug into my palms and casted my angry look on him.

"One, I'm not a little girl." I broke coldly, raising his eyebrows, hilarious, and accenting my frown as I lowered my voice. "Two, it's not yours damn business.''

'' Hum. The cat has claws." He taunted with a smirk before frowning thoughtfully and was in a moment in front of me. I recoiled in shock with eyes wide in disbelief and his smile fell, dark. '' Why are you alone in the woods? ''

I could not help but feel the pull of his eyes and his dilated pupils sending me into a sort of soporific mist.

 _I wanted to keep quiet and I was good in this area of habit but felt as if I could not control my body anymore. Neither my mind nor my mouth or my lips._

"It soothes my pain." I replied, my lips trembling as my tone seemed monotonous.

The man raised an eyebrow at my answer before narrowing his eyes at me.

''Why? "It was all he said.

 _My mind was hitting and screaming inside me not to answer him and wanted more than anything to escape. I did not want to answer him. To him or to anyone. It hurt. Just thinking of the answer I would give. I knew that as soon as the words left my lips, I could no longer be in control of myself or of my emotions, for that matter. Thinking was something but saying it out loud was another.  
_

'' Because ... because I'm broken. '' My tone was always the same but silent tears had started to flow down my cheeks and I could feel my heart sinking in my chest as everything overwhelmed me whip.

It was over, everything. Everything was over. My parents were dead in this accident and nothing and no one will be able to bring them back. I could never see them again. The pain that occupied my body exploded in several pieces and the weight of the realization was so powerful that I felt my knees yielded beneath me. First my knees, then my hands then came my cheek. I felt the earthy soil and the crackling of the leaves under my weight but I was too weak to make the slightest gesture. I stayed on the side, lying in a rifle and sinking my nails into the ground to get a grip but that was useless. Darkness enveloped me. I knew it.

 _I was sinking._

I had been out and in consciousness for several hours already and I felt someone carried me. The warmth of his touch, the comfort of his shoulder and the strength of his arms.

Then came the sound. It was deafening, almost irritating, and I realized someone was hailing me. I did not want to open my eyes. No. I wanted to stay in the abyss that was eternal sleep. Life was pain, painful. Death was peaceful, easy ...  
I did not want to feel that anymore. None of it mattered now.

"Mila! Hey! Mila! You hear me? Mila? "That irritating voice again.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking myself in a panicked state and I had to flick my eyelashes in the consciousness.

I slowly opened my eyes to meet Elena's worried brown orbs hovering over me with concern,"Oh my god, Mila. You're frozen. ''  
Now that she said it, I could feel the chills crawling along my body and I started shaking like a leaf.

My teeth clashed, causing a steady slap and I closed my arms on me in a vain attempt to keep me warm.

It was dark now and I could easily discern where I was. It seems like I was lying on our swing, but the thing is, I did not remember going to sleep here.

Elena frowned as she scanned my face and looked down at my face. '' God, where have you been? You're covered with leaves and dirt."

She pulled a leaf from my tangled hair as a sign of proof, but I could not say anything.

The pain was still there, paralyzing me and her gaze softened in sympathy. "Come on. We'll clean you up. "

I felt her hands snake into my back to get up and she had to put all her strength to hold me against her. I did not really help but it did not matter to me. I was unable to do anything anyway.


	2. Chapter 2 : Insanity

**Chapter two : Insanity**

 _Finally, time passes. The days accumulate. Even when they never seem to finish. Including when each long hour is as painful as the pulsation of blood under a hematoma. Time passes. Same for me._

I raised the head of my diary and looked at my garden through my window. Night had fallen, and another day was over.

After my episode of which I had no memory, Elena and Jenna had agreed to keep me at home. A doctor had come to see me, but I vaguely remembered what had happened. I had been in a catatonic state for a week and had missed most of the first days of festivity in Mystic Falls. Not that it was very important to me.

Elena had come every day to fill me on what was happening even though I kept my eyes constantly on the window, sitting in a chair without moving. I had been unable to do anything. It was like my brain and my body had been paused for an indefinite time.  
I had just woken up from my trance and instantly plunged into my diary.

It seemed like I had missed the back-to-school party and given what Elena told me it was no worse.

Apparently, Vicki Donovan had been attacked by a wild animal, which was totally unnatural to Mystic Falls if you wanted my opinion, but I did not question Elena's word.

Speaking of Elena, Vicki's attack had been a distant memory in her mind since she had started a romantic love affair with none other than Stefan Salvatore on comet night and seemed to be spun the perfect love.

 _Well, except that mysterious older brother who had come out of nowhere. How had she already said? Damian, Demon ... no, it doesn't matter, I did not remember very clearly what she said. Only, the most important.  
_

Oh ! She now knew that Jeremy had slept with Vicki and the latter had been punished by Aunt Jenna who had been made fun of by Mr. Tanner in her parental role.

Not really a surprise either. But I was dying to hit this jerk for daring to make Jenna doubt her abilities as a parent.

She sacrificed her life to care for us and she did the best she could. I did not doubt that we aren't the easiest teenagers. All the more so with Jeremy and myself.

We were not twins for nothing after all. As for Elena, she was still the perfect girl so there was not much to say about it.

My eyes drifted from the window to the closed door of my room and I wondered what was going on downstairs.

The bell had sounded a little earlier and if I remembered correctly, Elena had arranged a dinner with Stefan and Bonnie.

It seems that the brunette was not very inclined to their relationship or then was Stefan. I did not know anymore.

I closed my diary and put it back in its hiding place before looking at what I was wearing. I had black and purple plaid pajama pants and the matching purple long-sleeved T-shirt, and my hair straightened up in a messy bun.

I decided to go down to see what was going on and found me in the direction of the living room when a voice stopped me in my step.

"That's what I repeat without stops, he must move. You can't stand there waiting for life to come to you, you have to go get it. "Assured a man with a hint of cheerfulness and mischief in his voice.

Suddenly, an icy cold enveloped me. This voice. I was sure I had heard him somewhere. She was so familiar to me but I could not put a face on it. I frowned at the cold suddenly and wrapped my arms around me to keep the heat as I took a step into the living room.  
All eyes were on me at my sudden entrance and I could see Elena wide-eyed, rising with an almost ecstatic leap while the others remained silent as they waited for my next break. And then, it was when I saw him.

I widened my eyes in recognition and swallowed the bile in the back of my throat. It was him.

 _The man in the woods._

"Mila! "Hailed Elena in shock as she rushed at me.'' You're up. Are you fine? Are you in pain?"

She said to me minute by minute, but I could not take my eyes off the man who was staring at me with a smirk as he knew I knew him.  
Elena noticed my gaze and turned to all her friends, nervously clearing her throat. '' Oh ! Uh ... Damon, it's Mila, Jeremy's twin sister and my little sister. Mila. Damon, Stefan's brother. "

Damon rose from his place on the couch with a big smile that seemed charming to the other three girls but to me it was scary.

"Nice to finally know your name, Mila." He said, taking my hand to squeeze it in and kissing it on the top with a wink and a wide, facetious smile to my attention.

I widened my eyes wide to what he had understood before grimacing, repelled by his touch.

Elena frowned like all the people in the room and turned to me.

'' Finally? " She asked puzzled looking at Damon, then at me with a raised eyebrow.

"We met in the woods last week." Damon replied, staring at me from head to foot with a smirk, and I had never felt so uncomfortable in front of someone else as I danced from one foot to the other in embarrassment and put my eyes on Stefan who had joined us with a worried look. "Although she didn't have time to give me a name, I'm afraid."

 _Could it be that he knew what his brother can do?_

 _Of course, he knew. Most likely he was also like him._

I shuddered at the thought and my worried eyes fell on Elena. It was not good. None of this was good. I remembered very little that day, but I remembered very well what I had felt when he looked at me. I had been unable to restrain myself from speaking. It was like I was his puppet and he was pulling the strings.

'' Oh! Mila ... don't speak. Or at least, don't talk anymore." Elena sounded confused and I was dying to hit my forehead.

'' Really?" Damon questioned with a raised eyebrow, questioning and looked at me, forcing me to widen my eyes to that smile. _That bastard_. "Still, she was pretty talkative."

At these words, all bewildered glances fell on me except that of Damon jubilant clear of the situation and I swallowed the bile forming in my throat.

Elena turned to me like a child on Christmas morning and I could already see the cogs in her brain shot. "You talked, Mila! ''

I threw a dazzling flash on Damon, hating him more and more by the minute, and sighed, turning back to Elena, who was gauging me expectantly with a hopeful smile.

I looked anywhere except Elena as I could feel all the gazes on me in the observation and my eyes caught the pieces of pies on the living room table.

My stomach found the right moment to be heard and I looked up at Elena again before just shrugging my shoulders and heading for the pieces of pie. Elena's smile fell in a frown as I took the plate that was in her place.

Damon spoke again, and I looked up apprehensively. "I sympathize with Elena, I know what it's like to lose her parents. In fact, Stefan and I saw almost everyone who really counted for us die. "

I stopped in my task to cut a piece of pie and narrowed my eyes of hate on the asshole who pretended a sad face before rolling my eyes at the horrified expression of Elena.

She was so credulous. This guy was lying as he was breathing. Stefan who seemed alarmed shrinks, too his eyes on his brother.

"We don't have to talk about that now, don't you think?" He snapped bitterly, stealing my interest despite me.

Damon's smile was even more frightening as he gauged his brother with pure hurt and I could not help but squeeze my fork with irritation. He was evil. I was convinced of it.

'' You know what Stefan, you're right. If there is one thing I want to avoid. It's because we come to talk about her. "

After Damon's shock announcement, the mood had dimmed considerably, and I was now sitting on one of the kitchen countertops with my plate of pie while Elena washed the dishes in the sink. It seemed that the evening had not been as she wished because she was acting strangely agitated.

* * *

Unfortunately for me, as I thought I was safe in my kitchen, that more than irritating voice rang out again and I winced as he made his way to Elena.

'' One again. "

"Hey," Elena said with a drink in her hand that was lost in her thoughts and she turned around with a smile.

I was gagging at the mere sight of someone smiling at him. It was just ... Ew!

"Thank you, ..." I stared into total disbelief as the glass escaped Elena's hands and Damon retrieved it at an improbable speed.

 _I had hardly seen his hand moved. It was like spider-man and his great reflexes._

But apparently Elena did not notice that as she stupidly laughed as she picked up the glass."Nice reflex."

 _Nice reflex? Nice reflex!  
_

 _He had just caught a drink in mid-flight for the ground at an inhuman speed and she found that to say? This guy was not human. It was out of the question for me to accept that.  
_

 _Huh! Huh! Impossible._

As I was literally speechless, he gave me a wink over his shoulder as he knew I had seen what he had done, and I knew he was playing with me.

 _It was so easy. Why not play with the dumb girl? There will be no way she sways the secret._

"I love you a lot." Damon exclaimed, pointing at Elena with a supposedly charming smile, and Elena smiled stupidly as I rolled my eyes.

"You are a girl with humor and you can make Stefan smile, something I have not seen for a very long time. ''

No wonder with a brother like him.

If I could have rifles instead of eyes, he would already be dead. I really did not know what he was but it frustrated me even beyond what I thought possible and as he could read what I thought, he turned back by leaning on the counter and crossed his arms to his chest in giving me a big smirk.

 _Who are you? He could read my thoughts now? Hold on ! I am the Queen of England and you are my under fire._

I narrowed my eyes on him as I waited for a reaction. It was just a tick, but he still wore the same exasperating smile and I released my anger on the cake on my plate.

"Just now, the girl you were talking about was Katherine?" Elena came in, lifting my eyes from my ransacking and staring at them with a frown, perplexed.

'' Hum! Hum! '' Hummed Damon, intentionally evasive and I felt this exasperation again.

 _I wanted to hit him. So bad until my fingers stopped buzzing._

Elena, who was much better informed than I was, continued her investigation. "How is she dead?"

 _Who! That was new. I did not know who this girl was, but obviously she was very important to both brothers. Although I had a tough time believing that a girl could really tolerate a guy like Damon except Caroline, of course. She wanted attention and would go out with anyone to have it. Even if this anyone involved Damon Salvatore._

"In a fire." Damon replied, his expression serious for once as he plunged into a deep and distant memory. "A tragic fire."

"A long time ago?" Elena questioned, making me look puzzled with a frown.

 _It was what? Twenty-one questions?_

Death was not one of my favorite subjects and as far as Damon was concerned, I had a hell of a problem believing everything that came out of his mouth. After all, the bastard had swayed me, and I knew how to hold a grudge.

"Sometimes I feel like it was yesterday." Damon replied, looking in front of him with a frown, pensive.

"How was she?"

At that, Damon seemed to be exhilarating as he turned to Elena with his famous charming smile."She was beautiful, on that point you look very much like her."

I rolled my eyes at that knowing that his little brother who was the boyfriend of Elena's was in the next room. "She was also complicated and selfish, downright nasty at times, but sexy and seductive."

 _Who! That was the perfect girl that all men dreamed about. (Irony)  
_

 _In other words, this girl was a bitch._

I was so taken in my thoughts that I did not even see Elena's next statement. "So which one who was first going out with her?"

I rested my eyes on the duet at that and looked at Damon with amazed eyes.

 _They had gone out with the same girl. Who! Now, that gave me some concern about Elena. I had no desire to find her in fraternal quarrels. Especially with Damon. In fact, I thought I had never felt such resentment for someone that it was really disturbing for me.  
_

"We can't hide you anything." Damon pops in with his mocking smile. "Ask Stefan, his answer will surely be different from mine."

 _Obviously! It was easier like that._

Elena seemed to be pausing at Damon's answer, and I rolled my eyes as I took a bite of the pie and brought it to my lips and watched as Elena joined me and started folding the napkins next to me.

As Elena had moved, it seems that Damon was coming to join us, and he gave me a smile on his way looking at the pie in my hands.

'' I chose it. '' He said it was meant to be a simple remark but I understood his meaning very well and just like that, I was spitting the piece on my plate under Elena's bewildered gaze.

I put my eyes on the brown jumping on my feet with the plate in hand and walked to the trash before opening it and put my bad eyes on Damon just as I threw the contents of my plate without ever left him of my sight.

"Mila! "Elena growled, who had watched my interaction outrageously outraged and I put my plate on the sink before giving her a nonchalant shrug and left the kitchen under the hilarious eyes of Damon.

* * *

 _After my little pirouette in the kitchen, I retired to my room and surfed the web looking for everything Damon could be._

 _Only after about 20 minutes did I have enough theory about what it could be that I could literally write a whole book about anomalies and superheroes. It was so frustrating, even infuriating.  
_

 _I got up from my chair preparing for bed when my door opened revealing none other than Damon Salvatore himself and his smug smile.  
_

 _I frowned, crossing my arms over my chest with a scowl. '' What are you doing in my room? ''  
_

 _"Look who is no longer voiceless." He taunted with a smirk and took a step into my bedroom, closing my door behind him._ _I took a step back, feeling the panic rising and narrowing my eyes at him._

 _''What are you?"I whistled, annoyed and at the same time, curious about what he could be.  
_

 _''Ha! Ha! If that's not the million-dollar question._ " _Damon joked, tingling and stirring his finger with a facetious smile and I felt more and more trapped.  
_

 _Panic and anguish rose in me as he continued to take action and soon, I found myself stuck by the wall and chest of Damon._

 _His smile grew as he caged me, his arms at my head and I swallowed the bile forming in my throat as I put my eyes wide in panic on him._

 _I could see how his almost shady gray blue eyes shone with mischief and confidence. How his lips looked red compared to his skin, almost like blood._

 _I stiffened instantly as he lowered his head to bury it in my bare neck and he ... sniffed? He sniffed my neck before placing a weak kiss on my skin running my heart in a crazy race and I could feel the smile on his lips as he raised his head.  
_

 _''It's still too early. It's a lot more fun to keep the fun going." Haunted his mocking voice like his laugh could be heard and it was when_

 _I was pulled into consciousness._

"Mila! Mila! Wake up!" Elena shouted trying to reassure me and struggled with my hands." It's just a nightmare! Mila. Wake up.''

I jumped into my bed, straightening up and panting for the air as I looked at my surroundings looking for the jet-black man in awe and looked at Elena who was wearing a frown of worried eyebrows.

"Hey! Hey! It's good. It was just a nightmare. " She reassured, taking my hand with a weak smile and pushing me back to my mattress.''You're okay?"

It was completely sick. I mean, I had never had a dream of such intensity, even those I had after the accident.

It was like this, I was really in the dream and could feel everything. I unconsciously carried my hand to my neck and shuddered thinking about Damon's kiss. It was not a thrill of pleasure.

Ew! No! I mean, I was sixteen and he, at least twenty-five, but that was not the point. Why I dreamed of him in the first place, surpassed me.

'' You want to talk about it? '' Elena's voice came up, reminding me that she was still in the room and I was putting my eyes on her.

I had not missed the momentum of hope in her voice.

I knew how much my muteness weighed on her, but I could not tell her what I had been dreaming about.

And this, for multiple reasons. One, she was dating Damon's brother, even if I hated to admit it, that dream could be something else and I did not even want to think about it any longer. And then, I did not want to talk about it. I just wanted to forget and act like it never happened. It was already quite disturbing like that.

I shook my head in negation and her expression fell into a weary sigh. She seemed to want to say something when she got up and looked at me again but changed her mind and made her way to the door.

I carried my hand to my forehead, looking up to the celling as I thought she was gone when her voice interrupted me.

"You should get dressed. The match is today. You should want to go out a little after the week you spent." Then, as she finished her sentence, she was outside my room leaving my thoughts to myself.

Honestly, I wanted everything but thought right now. I needed activity. Entertainment. All that could have saved me from thinking about

Damon or he was where the dream I had for that fact. Above all, the dream that I had just had.

I threw the sheets aside and made my way to my dresser. I pulled on a pair of black jeans, a long-sleeved black T-shirt, a red-and-black flannel shirt, and headed to my shared bathroom with Elena.

I put my clothes on the edge of the sink and supported me on the island by raising the head to meet my reflection.

Several rebellious locks were now coming out of my bun and my olive skin looked a lot paler. Dark circles had settled under my cold blue orbs and my cheeks had widened. The features of my already hard face like those of my father seemed to be accentuated and I could not prevent the frown from appearing on my forehead. It was just ... Jeremy and I were twins but that did not mean we looked alike. Elena and Jeremy had taken from mom and I had got dad's blue eyes.

I took a quick shower, hoping to wash away the stupid feeling I had about this damn dream and changed to my clean clothes and simply brushed my long brown hair before letting them lie on my back.

After cleaning after me, I went out to get back to my room when I fell nose to face with Jeremy.

I straightened up immediately, just like him, and watched him in silence. His big soft eyes scanned me from head to toe as he was expecting me to say something but when he saw that I would not say anything, his eyes turned cold and he sniffed disdainfully.

"Then they said it's me who's a problem." He gruffled, jostling me as he went by and I looked at him with perplexity, frustration and sadness.

 _It was obvious that he was already high but that did not make his words less hard. We had always been a duet before, with the twin's thing but now, it was hardly seen._

I returned to my room with a dull expression and felt the flood of thoughts making their way to the surface.

I needed some distraction before the match otherwise I could never hold on. I weighed my options and decided to do like any teenager and headed to my computer.

I had not even been on the internet for ten minutes that I had already clicked on an anomaly site.

Realizing my mistake, I immediately closed the screen in an act of hysteria and jumped out of my chair to poke up and down with my hand on my forehead. I had thought and rethought, I still did not see what he was.

''Let's recap!" I murmured with a frown down as I thought. "Forcing people to control, whatever. Increased reflexes. Abnormal pallor. God! What am I forgetting? "

Finally, I decided to stop torturing my mind. Regardless of my conclusions, I could not come up with just one plausible one.

* * *

After making this inner peace, I had put on my faithful black and white converse and donned a black hooded jean jacket before heading to my SUV. I drove straight to high school and was now sitting on the grass with my hands resting behind me and watching excited students approaching the game.

I spotted Elena and Stefan when I arrived, they exchanged a necklace it seemed to me or something like that.

Suddenly, a presence was felt next to me and I turned my head in confusion to find the waiter who had served me at the Grill, the last time.

I immediately raised an eyebrow, interrogator and stared at him silently as he gave me another of his smiles too bright for me.

"Hey! Mila, right?" He questioned visibly at ease and I stared at him now with pure confusion.

 _How did he know my name? I mean, I was not popular here and until now, I did not even know he was in our high school._

"I'm Felix. '' He introduced himself, clearly not paying attention to my lack of response and held out his hand in a gesture of taking it.

I gauged it hesitantly before finally squeezing it in a simple motion and returned to my observation of the other students.

I thought that after that, he would have left but he stayed by my side and was just as calm as I was.

It was the first time I met someone who could stand my silence without even getting a little agitated.

It made me curious and it really had to be a first for me. I turned to him, calling his attention and he gave me another one of his smiles.

'' What do you want? "I asked, my tone a little more demanding than I would have wished but it was too late to regret.

'' You seemed to need a friend.'' He stated bluntly and I stood there, speechless, not really knowing if I should be upset or touched by his consideration.

Finally, I did not have time to think as he went on.

"I can understand what it's like to be different." I raised a questioning eyebrow at that and he smiled as he leaned toward me as he did gave me a secret. "I'm gay."

Although he said it in a secret way, I could see that he was fully assuming it according to his style of dress and seemed surprised at the moment before quickly resume.

He was rather skinny for his size and had short, jet-cut black hair and large, almost black-brown eyes, and was wearing tight black pants and a navy V-neck T-shirt.

 _Did that mean he thought I was gay too? I didn't look like a gay, though? I mean, I had nothing against homosexuality. On the contrary, but I loved boys or at least I thought. I had never had a boyfriend and love was totally foreign to me but that did not mean I was not sure of my sexuality.  
_

I frowned and shook her head, embarrassed."I-I'm not lesbian."

Felix's reaction was, to say the least, unexpected as he laughed openly at my face and brought his hand to his mouth to try and hide it, came over.

"Believe me, I know it." He assured himself, the hint of laughter still in his voice and I frowned, now upset.

"What do you mean?" I said defensively, my tone hard. "I could very well be a lesbian."

"Not dress like that." Felix retorted, digitizing my outfit from head to toe and staring at me with a hint of insecurity.

I looked up puzzled at him."What makes you say I'm not a lesbian? "

I know I wasn't, but it was the fact that he affirmed knowledge without even knowing me that interested me.

"Well, you didn't watch a single girl since you sat here." I nodded in agreement. _That made sense._ "Then, this androgynous sportswear look? Yeah, way too obvious for a lesbian. "

''What's wrong with my look? "I asked him more bored by his theory than anything else as I crossed my arms over my chest.

'' Whoa! For a girl who doesn't speak, you ask a lot of questions."Exclaimed Felix with a surprised smile and I broke my head to the side with a weary expression. '' Okay. I would say that your look represents your personality. Viewing. When I see you, I think of a quiet girl, inaccessible, strong personality maybe even domineering who knows. "He added with a salacious smile at the end and I caught myself smiling back."It's inevitably for the guys. "

I meditated for a moment on his words and finally nodded in agreement. "It makes sense."

"Of course, honey, that makes sense. I'm always right when it comes to sexuality."He raised his suggestive eyebrows and for the second time, I caught myself smiling.

 _It was really strange for me, but this guy was making me somehow ... happy. Be careful, it was not as true as I thought but it was getting closer._

I was about to answer when noises of struggle were heard from the parking lot.

I jumped on my feet immediately to have a better look just like Felix and I widened my eyes at the sight of Jeremy and Tyler in a fight.

'' Oh my God! It's my brother! "I exclaimed, calling out to Felix before I started running to try and stop all this.

I was not the only one to be caught by the sounds of battle and when I arrived at my destination, I could see Elena and Stefan trying to stop the fight and well, Stefan at least. Elena just shouted as usual.

Just when I thought it could not be worse, Jeremy grabbed a broken bottle on the floor and charged right for Tyler and Stefan under Elena's horrified screams.

As Jeremy ran for Tyler, Stefan stepped in with his hand up and the glass sliced deep into his palm. The distraction was enough for Matt to grab Tyler and take him aside while Elena and I ran to Jeremy.

Elena seemed quicker to argue than me as I just want to know if he was okay.

''What you're playing? '' Exploded Elena, outraged and indignant at the same time. '' Look at you, you're bleeding from your nose. ''

Just at that moment, a piece of tissue had entered my sight and I turned my head to find that it was Felix and that the piece came from his T-shirt.

I gave him a nod as a sign of gratitude and took the fabric to hand it to Jeremy who pushed it away with a sudden gesture.

"I'm fine." He choked coldly in a thick voice that clearly indicated he was drunk.

I sat up with a disdainful snort, vexed by his imbecility and glared at him like Elena.

''Yes. I feel it from here on your breath."Elena hissed furiously.

Jeremy narrowed his eyes at her as he sent her around abruptly before turning around without a word and Elena was quick to rush at Stefan in worry.

I looked at Felix and shrugged with a sigh.

"Lovely family you have here." He commented sarcastically, and I narrowed my eyes to him before lifting them to the sky and heading back to the field.

* * *

I thought I had just made a friend. Felix and I had talked a little longer after that and we even exchanged our cell phone numbers, which was unusual for me.

Now I was walking around without much interest in the parking lot and was thinking about Felix again. It was a strange feeling to be able to talk with someone and want to find more about him.

I had never been interested in anyone before and well except for Stefan and Damon but it was different.

 _They were not human. I was convinced of it._

"You scarred me." I heard Elena's familiar strangled voice and leaned my head toward the source of the noise before walking in the direction. "What are you doing? ''

I made a stop at Damon's sight and knelt to the ground with a grimace before trudging forward to get a better angle.

"I'm trying to avoid Caroline." Damon murmured, his facetious tone as he widened his eyes in exaggeration and I rolled my eyes, annoyed.

 _This guy was a real dick._

Elena frowned in confusion and imitated his whisper. "Why are you doing this?"

 _Ew! It just made me want to throw up. Both. Get, any friend-friend._

I pulled out my tongue in a disgusted look and shivered at the thought before refocusing on their conversation.

"I can't stand her anymore. She's talking too much and it's getting on me."He replied, as he was not talking about one of Elena's best friends and I was already smiling in anticipation of my sister's attack.

"Yeah, everything is explained." Elena laughed, not amused.

'' You have to admit she's horribly young.'' Damon justified miserably and I rolled my eyes again.

 _You didn't have to go out with a high school girl at that time. He was just more execrable by the minute._

Elena's response was instantaneous. "Not much more than you, actually."

"Uh, I don't see myself with her until the end of my days." Damon replied with a small laugh, irritating." "She would make me crazy."

"Caroline with big defects I recognize it but, we are friends since the kindergarten and her friendship is very important to me." Said Elena, her tone getting a little colder and annoyed with each of her words.

I looked at Damon waiting for his answer and saw him frown slightly. God, it was just like watching a tennis match.

"Message received." He assures. "Sorry, if I was unpleasant. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

He continued by pointing his chest with his hands and smiling, his tone as wrong as my homosexuality.

 _If Elena believed that I would never forgive her. I mean, I had never heard such bullshit in a long time._

'' Of course yes. "Supported Elena with a frown. '' It's obvious otherwise you will not have put so much subtext in every word you uttered. ''

Damon smiled, tense as he stared at her in silence before accepting. "You're right." He looked up before resting them on Elena with that evil smile. "I'm not clear in my intentions but you're not more.''

I stared incredulously at my eyes wondering where he had seen that and could see Elena's same reaction.

 _This guy was really cheeky, I could not believe it._

"I felt it, you're crazy about me." Damon supported pretentiously, and Elena widened her incredulous eyes. "I'm destabilizing you, you're attracted to me, I'm taking care of all your thoughts, even when you want no, and I'm willing to bet you've ever dreamed of me, I'm obsessing you. "

Now it was my eyes wide in shock. I lowered my eyes to the floor before looking at Elena again and found that she seemed hypnotized.

 _Oh my god, he was doing his fucking thing of the mind._

I clenched my fists in apprehension, debating whether to intervene or just to stand there, to observe and finally opted for the last one.

"And you're dying to kiss me." He declared without even a hint of hesitation before bending over to Elena with a victorious smile.

I was sure that I was going to have to witness the worst scene of my life when something abnormal happened.

Elena seemed to come out of her trance and I watched with admiration and jubilation as she slapped him with all her might. The skin-to-skin impact resonated throughout the parking lot and I literally remained speechless for word loss.

 _It was fucking Awesome !_

'' No, but you're crazy!'' Elena indignantly shouted furiously. '' I don't know what little shabby game you want to train Stefan but it will be without me.'' She exploded like Damon holding his chin to cash it and Elena narrows her eyes with venom. '' And I don't know what you're blaming each other for, but things are very clear. I'm not Katherine! "

I sank deeper into the darkness as Elena passed furiously and held my breath to go unnoticed. I did not wait to be unmasked and drove straight away from the trees.

I was still trying to figure out how Damon was doing the eye trick and better yet how Elena had managed to resist him as I headed straight for my SUV when a scream followed by a strange noise called out to me.

I looked around not really sure what I had to do and then decided to go see for myself. It was my biggest mistake.

When I arrived there, I widened my eyes in total shock as Damon literally stomped on Tanner's neck and a red liquid spilled along his T-shirt. I was so shocked that I could not hold back the horrified scream as the body fell to the ground like a common bag and the two monsters immediately turned to me.

There was a long pause as I watched them in total panic with my hand on my mouth realizing that I was going to be next and I immediately started running in the opposite direction just to hit a brick wall.

I raised my eyes in fear and shouted again when I saw the or rather the monster in front of me. Almost black blue veins snaked under his eyes and his eyes had been filled with black while Tanner's blood was still poured over his lips and his fangs.

Tons of questions crushed my mind as I watched him smile at me in that sick smile and I could not do anything except close my eyes when he grabbed my shoulders, ready to kill me.

'' No! Damon! '' Sounded Stefan's frantic voice and I felt a gust of wind before I was released from the monster's grip. '' She's Elena's sister. ''

I widened my eyes to the mention of my sister to see that Stefan had interposed between us, making me take a step back in terror.

My gaze fell on Tanner's body and I lost completely.

"Oh my god! He's dead! He's dead! He killed him. He killed him. "Two strong hands gripped me, stopping me in my panicked hike and I looked up to fight at Stefan's sight." He killed him! He killed him!''

"Mila! Hey! Mila! I need you to calm down. Look at me!'' Asked Stefan sounding almost desperate as I listened to him but I could not.

 _They were monsters. He had killed him. Oh my God! All these attacks. Vicki.  
_

"It's going to be difficult to repair with your defective strain." Damon's mocking voice popped in as if he had not just killed a human being."You should kill her. A scratch and hop! Here! Problem solved.''

I widened my eyes to the discussion of my possible death and looked up begging Stefan who was still trying to control me.

"I'm not going to kill her, Damon! '' Barked Stefan, sounding incredibly frustrated as I still struggled.

'' Your problem! Not mine! "Sing-song Damon nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders before disappearing into the thin air, leaving me speechless.

"Mila! Hey, Mila! Look at me! "

Soon noises were heard and I turned my head to the side in the hope of escaping Stefan's embrace, but in a matter of seconds, I was transported away and landing at the foot of a tree.

Stefan released me and I put as much distance as possible between us feeling all the bones of my body trembling in shock, disbelief, fear and especially adrenaline.

'' Mila ... ''

I straightened up at his imploring tone and narrowed my eyes at him angrily."What are you?"

"Mila! Look at me!" He ordered as he took slow steps and I knew what he was trying to do.

''Don't come near me!" I screamed, raising my hands in front of me like a poor barrier. "I will not let you fuck with my mind."

 _I knew how it worked. I was going to look in his fucking eyes and his pupils would expand then I would forget everything and poof!_

 _I would become totally unaware of the monsters around us. Yeah, that will not happen._

"Mila! I can't do that." Objected Stefan sounding really panicked and desperate, but I did not find in me to worry.

''Bullshit ! "I spit furiously and glared at him as he took another step forward." "Don't come near me or I scream."

Stefan seemed to take into account as he stopped, and I took another step back by pure precaution and began to stimulate like a fury.

Everything was coming back to the surface and I could feel my hands shaking. He had killed him. Tanner was dead, and I had just witnessed his assassination but that face. This ... this monster.

Stefan watched me stimulated in silence and I had to admit that I was grateful for that. Even though I was completely panicked at the mere thought of being at his side, I managed to catch my attention and control my tone, even if I wanted to scream my anger.

'' What are you? ''

Stefan remained silent, staring at me as he debated the pros and cons of leaving me in the secret with an expression beyond frustrated and finally sigh wearily.

"I can explain everything. '' He calmly assures, and I gauged him warily. '' But for now, you must go home and do not tell anyone what you saw. ''

I openly scoffed at his words with a roll of eyes. "Translation: I have nothing to say to Elena."

"Among other things, but I'm serious, Mila. There are people in the city who are not so ignorant and that could have grave consequences." Stefan insisted, leaving me speechless as I stared at him in thought.

 _So, they were known in the eyes of certain people. It still did not tell me what they were. I had no confidence in Stefan and even less in Damon. Only, I knew that if I wanted answers I would leave my trust in Stefan._

''To no one?" I insisted with a raised eyebrow, questioning and Stefan seemed to stiffen considerably in alarm.

"No one." He replied quickly, in a firm tone that did not leave room for discussion but was not well known to me.

'' Nobody? Nobody? "I was uncertain, secretly enjoying the power I got on him and could see the irritation and anxiety, overwhelmed.

"Mila! '' Called Stefan to the brink of nervous breakdown '' Don't make me regret. ''

I stared at him silently with my arms crossed over my chest and ended up sighing in defeat. "I wouldn't say anything." Stefan seemed to relax a little but remained on his guard and I narrow my eyes to him to make my point.'' The place of the city. Tomorrow at noon."I ordered relentlessly, turning to leave before calling over my shoulder." And don't be late. "


	3. Chapter 3 : Do I Wanna Know ?

**Chapter three : Do I Wanna Know ?  
**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I don't know what to think anymore. What is the reality of fiction? Are all the monsters I thought imaginary, existing?_ _  
_ _Everything seems so confusing and I have never been so terrified in my life. Now that I have opened my eyes, I feel like I have lived in a false reality all my life. Tonight, I came home, and I saw Elena and Jenna sit on the couch and I could not look them in the face. I did not know if I could keep the secret for a long time._

 _Vampires!_

 _I finished writing the dreaded word and thought back to the day I had just spent with Stefan._ _With what happened last night, I was totally and completely panicked at the slightest sound. Damon had tried to kill me and clearly Stefan did not want me to know his secret either._

 _I always had to be on my guard. I wondered again how I had landed in one of these situations and then reminded me that I had wanted it. Stefan could have fucked with my mind and I'd be back on my merry way. But, frankly who would like to have someone played with his mind. It was ridiculous._ _  
_

 _So here I am, stimulating up and down and probably aggravating my odd reputation in the city as most of the passers-by stared at me like I had two heads._ _  
_

 _I had a point of arriving before Stefan because I wanted to get control of things but if I had to be honest, it was mostly because I could not wait anymore. I needed an answer, here and now._ _  
_

 _I had not stopped summarizing the main points of this case and made a point of repeating them again._ _  
_

 _ **Control of the mind. Inhumane speed, force and reflex. Blue veins almost the color of blood and ... fangs.**_ _  
_

 _I had a little idea, but it was so crazy that I could not even put in word. Looking completely hysterical, I looked up from my watch for at least the tenth time within a second and spotted Stefan approaching me._ _  
_

 _"Mila ..." Recognized Stefan in greeting and I gave him a simple nod as I sat on one of the benches._ _  
_

 _"Ok. I had exactly two hours of sleep and still it was nightmares, so I needed ... no, I need to know what you fucking are." I declared acting as a person weaning as Stefan sat next to me, he turned to face me._ _  
_

 _"Ok. First, you must calm down. I'll explain everything to you. "Tried Stefan._ _  
_

 _'' Calm down? I'm always calm but that? That? Sorry, but I can't. I watched your damn brother kill a man yesterday. Tearing his trachea with his teeth... or fangs. "I retorted with a frown, confused." Argh! I'm lost.''_ _  
_

 _"You have to stay calm, Mila."_ _  
_

 _I stared at him in disbelief before taking a deep breath. "Okay, first, you're not human, that's for sure. So, what the fuck are you? ''_ _  
_

 _"I think you already know it. But to answer your question. Damon and I are vampires. Have been for centuries now. What you need to know is that my brother has little or no importance for human life as you may have noticed but I'm not so. It's a choice to keep the human part and as you can see, I chose this way." Stefan said calmly._ _  
_

 _The information flowed slowly through my mind as I listened carefully and frowned before looking at him._

 _"So, what about the mind thing? "I was asking for something important for me before I picked up on what he said earlier." Whoa! Whoa! Centuries? How old are you? ''  
_

 _'' It's harder to explain. ''  
_

 _"I think I can understand." I assured myself, wanting answers to my questions and Stefan was silently laughing at my eagerness._

 _"Damon and I were born here in Mystic Falls._ _And if I'm technically 17 years old in appearance, I'm currently 162 years old. We were transformed in 1864. ''  
_

 _I was stunned, taking in all his features and could not believe that this guy in front of me was 162 years old. It was completely crazy.  
_

 _"My sister is dating an elderly person." I said, flabbergasted and I noticed Stefan wince in the corner of my eye.'' So, how did you become ... ''  
_

 _'' A vampire?'' I nodded slowly, swallowing, still trying to catch everything in words. '' Back in 1864, my family hosted a young orphan ... ''  
_

 _'' Let me guess, Katherine? "I cut him roughly and if Stefan was disturbed by interruption, he did not let it show.  
_

 _He just nodded before continuing, "We both fell in love with her but we didn't know what she was until she revealed her true nature and forced us to-"  
_

 _'' Compelled? So that's the thing of the mind? "I interrupted again in haste.  
_

 _'' Yes. Compulsion is an ability that vampires possess as speed, strength. Essentially, this is controlling or to force humans to do things they wouldn't usually do."Stefan replied and I nodded for the rest." So, Katherine forced us to keep her secret and continued to use us. At that time, there were animal attacks in the city and the entire council of founders saw the vampires as a plague, so they decided to gather them and burn them to get rid of them. I made the mistake of going to my father to beg him to spare Katherine, but he refused. Damon and I tried to save her, but we were shot by our father. We were under compel and therefore, didn't know we had Katherine's blood in our system, triggering the beginning of the transition. "_

 _"So, all the stories about vampires and transformation are myths? There is no bite like movies or books say?"I refuted in realization.  
_

 _"Most myths are wrong. We have reflexion, can sleep and not in coffins, garlic and crosses are decorative. Although we must be invited into a person's house to enter. And unless we have a ring like mine, we can't walk in the sun. There is also a plant called Vervein that protects humans against our compelling and is toxic to us whether ingested or even touched. "  
_

 _I exhilarated at this as I turned to him. "So that's what you gave Elena. Damon tried to compel her yesterday and she resisted. "  
_

 _I realized what I had just said as Stefan's face lit up with surprise and confusion. It did not even happen to me that he did not know my little mission of espionage.  
_

 _"Yeah ... uh ... about that, I might have spied on them." I was justifying myself before I smiled at the memory. "But, it was worth it, Elena gave your brother an epic slap and it made my day. "  
_

 _"You've never been really mute, have you?'' Stefan asked with interest.  
_

 _"Yes, I was. I was paralyzed until the back to school, and then ... I met your brother."I explained, leaving Stefan confused." I had skipped up classes because I felt much too depressed to get up and then I went to the forest and there, I met your brother. He had pissed me off so much that I just talked like that. And after that, he did his mind thing and poof! I was sinking and when I woke up, I could talk normally. "  
_

 _"But you didn't speak yesterday." Stefan recalled with a frown, puzzled.  
_

 _"Indeed." I nodded in agreement. "So, I guess Katherine's dead?"_

 _''She and the rest of the vampires were gathered in Fell Church and were killed in a fire that engulfed the church. For the story, there were Confederate soldiers who fired at civilians, but the founders knew what had really happened. "Stefan said wearily.  
_

 _'' So, all the founding families were involved? Salvatores, Gilbert, Forbes, Lockwood etc.'' I asked in a state of complete shock.  
_

 _'' Still doing. They are the dangerous people, Mila. The city thinks it's made to remember and commemorate the founding families, but the truth is that it was created to preserve the city from vampires and their possible attacks. That's why the latest attacks have been reported as animal attacks. Your parents should be on the board, too. "Stefan replied, leaving me speechless.  
_

 _'' My parents?'' I whispered weakly, lowering my eyes to the ground.  
_

 _"I'm sorry, Mila. I didn't want to… ''  
_

 _"That's good." I said, raising my hand, "I'm not going to collapse, you have nothing to fear. Fall into a deep silence? Likely.''  
_

 _'' Why the silence?"Asked Stefan really intrigued and I looked up at him.  
_

 _"I never really speak. You know, the child calm and reserved, all that. But I realized that the less I spoke and the more I noticed things in people. I could better observe their gestures or their looks, for example. When I met you, I saw the experience in your eyes as well as trust but also something darker. I guess I wasn't wrong. Now, if you were talking about my family."I paused, my lips tight in thought."_ _When my parents died, I felt shattered and still feel. This punishment followed me all the time, like a person to the whole. I wanted to shout every time I opened my mouth, so I used silence as a defense. "  
_

 _Honestly, I did not know why I told him that. But something inside me, assured me that I could trust him. After all, he had told me his nature.  
_

 _"You're surprisingly mature for your age." Stefan said. "I guess I should have noticed it before."  
_

 _I caught myself blushing at his compliment and left a faint smile. '' And very smart, don't forget it. ''  
_

 _Stefan smiled at my little comment and we fell strangely into a small, comfortable silence until I frowned in thought.  
_

 _"You said that humanity is a choice and Damon didn't have one. I guess he's behind the attacks."I was drawing my frown on Stefan.  
_

 _"I don't feed on human blood. I drink the blood of animals, so it is safe to say that Damon was, but it will not happen again. I would find a way to neutralize Damon."Assured Stefan, determined.  
_

 _''To give an advice, give him vervein?'' I asked, feeling no remorse for what I suggested.  
_

 _"It is not so easy. Damon is far too smart to be caught so easily. "  
_

 _"Um," I huffed in response, frowning again in thought before resting my hesitant look at Stefan. "Can you control dreams too?"  
Stefan seemed to be resuming that as he looked at me anxiously, "Yes, we can. Why?''  
_

 _"Stefan, I need vervein." I begged without hesitation.  
_

 _I needed to keep myself protected. It was not safe for me and if I remembered what Damon had said, he was not done with me._

 _As I asked, I saw Stefan reach for the pocket of his jeans and hand me a small wooden box. I looked up at him confused before taking the box and open it. Inside, there was a small plant of purple color and green leaves._

 _"It's all I had left. In a jewel or perfume and it will do the trick." Stefan explained as I tucked the little box in my bag._

 _"Thanks, Stefan."_


	4. Chapter 4 : Play with Fire

**Chapter four : Play with fire**

When I woke up that morning, I did not feel the same degree of pain anymore. It was as if talking with Stefan had done a lot. All these bottled emotions had hurt my body and now I felt a little better.

I was no longer so freaked out of the Vampire thing since I got the answers to my questions and had even the slightest protection. I had opted for vervein in a jewel. When my mother died, I inherited a ring with a white stone and had kept it carefully hidden ever since. I was unable to reach it but I thought maybe it was time to do me violence.

As I thought about it, my phone buzzed from my bedside table and I frowned as I rolled to the side to reach it. I unlocked it and could not prevent the spreading smile when reading the message.

 _ **Felix: Hey, bitch! I knew you were the type to spend the night without calling back the next day.**_

 _ **Me: Ah! You had unmasked me. Sorry, but I'm too good for you.**_

I hit my phone against my chin waiting for his answer, surprising me with a smile all the way through and the beep sounded in the silence of my room.

 _ **Felix: I'm working at the Grill, later. Come to support a fellow Gay?**_

 _ **Me: Sure, bitch!**_

I rested my phone on my bedside table and got out of bed towards my dresser. It was brand new to me this friendship, but I recognized to get a taste.

With the last few discoveries I had just made, I felt that my life was taking an important turn and I did not really know what to think about it. I thought getting a little stability would be a good place to start.

From the moment I was ready, I went down the stairs and could hear the TV running from the living room.

So, I went through the open crack and found that Jenna was watching the news.

After what Stefan told me, I was expecting new attacks, but it was just the opposite. I looked in disbelief as it seemed that the attack problem had been solved. A mountain lion had been shot earlier and I was totally speechless. I knew I should talk to Stefan about this later.

But for now, I headed for the kitchen to serve me a lunch worthy of the name. I used a bowl of cereal and a cup of coffee and sat on the table in complete silence.

I knew Jenna had not even heard me, but I was used to going unnoticed. It was one of the advantages of being silent.  
Just as Jenna screamed obscenities on the television screen, Elena entered the kitchen and gave me a smile as she passed.

"Morning, Mila." She greeted, turning to Jenna, expecting no answer from me at this point.

I was spooning in my mouth as Jenna continued her parade of swearing and barely paying attention to the conversation that followed.

My eyes fell on the ring posing on my right forefinger and a wave of sadness overwhelmed me. My mother had always worn this ring since

I remembered it and it was really a big step for me to reach in my turn.

Jenna got up from the sofa visibly irritated with something and put her eyes on a box that I had not even seen in the first place. I had to pay more attention to my environment. It did not look like me.

"What are you going to do with it?" Asked Jenna, curious, asking my silent question and I continued to enjoy my lunch, listening.

'' I went to pick them up yesterday, they were in the safe at the bank.'' Elena reported. '' Mum was to lend them to Mrs. Lockwood, she's going to exhibit various objects from the founders for the party.''

This immediately caught my attention.

Founders' Day I totally forgot about this part.

Now that I knew the truth behind the lie, I no longer saw things the same way. It probably had a purpose to serve their true cause and I wondered what was happening this time. I had to go to this party.

Jenna looked through the objects in the box and pulled out a familiar ring. I had not seen it in a long time.

"That was not the granny ring that one?" Jenna asked with a raised eyebrow, questioning Elena as she pointed to the ring.

"No, that of the great great-grandmother Marie at the beginning." Elena corrected just as my twin was coming in.

He wore his usual black outfit and leaned over to look in the box as well. He grabbed a pocket watch, probably from the 1800s, and turned it over and over as he examined it.

"Will it bring money back to these things? If we sold them like EBay."Asked Jeremy greedy and I rolled my eyes more jaded than anything else while Elena did not seem that way.

In fact, she seemed a lot angrier.

Well, she was mostly angry when it came to my twin.

I knew he was asking a question in the wind but what interested me most was why he had targeted the watch. He had drawn in the box without even looking at the other objects. It was obvious that he knew the watch and had some interest in it.

"Not even in your dream, ok?" Warned Elena as she took the watch from his hands with an indignant frown.

Jenna put her eyes on me as if she was waiting for me to react or something like that and I just shrugged in indifference before taking a bite out of my cereal.

"Hey, it's mom's ring." Elena came in recognizing as she grabbed my hand before I could close my mouth on my spoon. I frowned, annoyed with her interruption and released my hand. "You decided to put it on, then."

Well, duh!

Jeremy had glanced in our direction at this as he was heading to the refrigerator to see what to eat before closing it. "That's all the parents left us. It is out of the question to part with it.."

"Don't worry, we don't part with anything." Elena snapped, unnecessarily. "It's called lending Jeremy."

This family was just so exhausting. I mean, watching a simple breakfast turned into a little fight.

Just when I thought I could not get out of this clash, the doorbell rang and I immediately got up to go open, leaving both to their argument.

I walked to the door in a leisurely pace and simply opened to cheer at Stefan's sight.

"Just the person I wanted to see." I murmured, wanting to hide my secret and Stefan frowned, perplexed.

I pull his arm to bring him in with a faint smile before closing the door behind him and leading him to the stairwell.

''Why are we hiding? "Asked Stefan and I widened my eyes with my index finger to my lips in a sign of silence.

"Not so loud. They'll hear you."I murmured reprimand fully as I pointed towards the kitchen.

''And that's a bad thing?" He whispered back with a raised eyebrow, questioning.

'' For me? It is. For you? Not so much. "I answered in a tone of fact." Unless you want them to think you're talking alone. "

Stefan frowned, confused. "You didn't tell them you were going to talk again? ''

"Of course not, and you don't have to tell Elena, okay?" I defended, authoritarian." But that's not the point. Don't you have something to say to me? Like oh, I don't know. About a certain mountain lion being shot; return to calm at Mystic Falls. "

"It's Damon. He covers his tracks." Stefan replied with an alarmed expression.

'' Why do I feel that this is a bad thing? ''

"Because it is," Stefan decreed, looking over my shoulder."I'm still looking for a plan but you have to go to the party tomorrow. I will need your help. ''

'' Me? Why? But for-"

'' Stefan?" Hailed Elena staring at us, surprised." What's going on?"

She let out an incredulous little laugh and I looked at Stefan with wide eyes in panic.

I still had a mind full of ideas but now, I did not find a single false explanation that would cover our posture.

I decided to do what I did best in such a situation. To run away.

I went down the stairs and went back to the kitchen and left Stefan with Elena. It seemed that he had found a plausible explanation as they soon went upstairs.

"She just took him upstairs?" Jeremy asked Jenna in a tone of disbelief and I looked up at his dramatic expression.

"Apparently," Jenna replied with a small smile as she continued to pass through the box and I smiled. '' She smiles.''

I jumped at Jenna's playful exclamation and looked up to find the two, Jeremy and Jenna stared at me like they had never seen me smile and frowned.

Okay, I was not the most enthusiastic person but that was not a reason to make all this cinema for a smile. I mean, I had smiled more than I had counted in my last conversations with Stefan and Felix.

I rolled my eyes as I walked over to my empty bowl and cup and took them under the sink before storing them in the dishwasher.

It seems that during this time, Jeremy had left, and Jenna had returned to her notes. This left the object box at hand and I could not help but glanced at Jenna in apprehension before I stepped forward and sneak my amateur pickpocket into the box and take the watch before baking it in the back pocket of my jeans.

From the moment I felt the new weight, I was running almost outside the kitchen and climbed the stairs to Jeremy's room.

I returned to his room without bothering to hit and was not surprised to find him with a headset on his ears and his eyes on a screen. He was just like all boys of his age.

I walked towards him, pulling the watch from my pocket and gave him a last look before placing it in front of him, on his desk. That was enough to stop him in his game and I could see his surprised look landing on me in disbelief.  
I just shrugged at his expression and was already making my way to the exit when I heard him move in his chair.

"Mila! Hold on! Hey," He said almost desperately, and I turned with a frown. "Thank you."

I smiled at him with a sincere smile and gave him a nod, which left him totally bewildered and left his room.

Jeremy and I had always had the twin connection and I had to admit that I sometimes missed it. He had always been the only one who was closest to a friend for me, all my life. We had this understanding even bothering to talk, well that was before everything in our lives became a bad TV show scenario.

I looked at my watch and thought I could go to the Grill now. I took my hooded black jacket and my homework to pass the time as Felix worked and came back down, turnkey.

I climbed into my SUV and put my bag on the passenger seat before plugging my iPod into my radio player and left the shuffle play. The air from Alphawezen-Rain began to fill the cabin as I made contact and left for the Grill.

Once on the parking lot, I took my bag, making sure to tidy up my iPod before going down and locked the doors behind me. I threw my bag over my shoulder and began to make my way to the bar with my hands in my jacket pockets.  
I passed the entrance and immediately went in search of the brown and found him waiting one of the tables. He wore a printed, round-neck T-shirt revealing part of his chest and had it assembled with a navy blue long-sleeve vest. His jeans were tight as the last time with some chains that went from his belt to his pocket. Even though he was gay, I could certify that he was attractive.

I smiled at his sight and walked to one of the empty booths and sat down waiting for him to notice me. I was going out my trigonometry book since my biggest weakness was my headphones and my IPod.  
It seems that Felix had not been slow to find me as he was already in front of me when I raised my head.

''Hello to you, too. '' I greeted him back before raising an eyebrow as he took my iPod from my hands and began to scroll through my playlist.

"So, there's Founders' Day tomorrow, and since I'm a Fell, I'm forced to crash the party." He said absently as he rolled his eyes to his involvement. "I thought that we can go together. "

''You're a Fell? '' I exclaimed, surprised.

"And you, a Gilbert. Don't we make a lovely couple? '' He retorted sarcastically, rolling his eyes again, making me laugh in silence.

That was exactly what I needed. Since Stefan would need me to trap Damon then he could count on me.

The psycho had denounced me, then tormented to finally try to kill me. I was not going to let him run the streets freely without reacting.

Plus, I would not feel safe in that he would still be around.

"Felix! These tables are not going to serve themselves. "Hailed a gruff voice and I turned my eyes to the bar to see what I supposed to be the boss of Felix who stared at us with a disapproving look.

'' Yes !Yes! No need to scream,"Grumbled Felix, resting my iPod as he rolled his eyes, annoyed and got up from his place." Here's one that didn't get its dose. "I smiled hilariously and wondered how he managed to act so freely. "Have fun."

I plugged in my headphones and started my music while I solved my equations, sometimes glancing at Felix.

He would eventually come back to see me and his boss who I knew now was called Robert and had relationship problems with his wife, would call him to order every time.

* * *

It was a good two hours since I was bent over my homework when a new presence made itself known by sitting in the seat in front of me.

I raised my head with a smile, thinking it was Felix before wide-eyed in panic and swallowing at the sight of Damon Salvatore, smiling like a Cheshire cat.

I decided to ignore him openly because he could not do much in public and turned my attention back to my book of trigon.

Only it was not counting the persistent pest it was as he leaned over the table and pulled off one of my earphones making me look at him with irritation.

'' Go away, Damon, '' I spat coldly, putting my earpiece back on and resting my eyes on my book just to let out an exasperated growl as he again pulled my earpiece away with that pretentious smile.''Get lost. ''

'' Is that how you thank me?" He asked, feigning a shocked look, and I sighed, narrowing my eyes at him.

"Why should I do that?"I broke, bored." If there is one thing I should do, it would be to want to plant a stake in your heart. "

I whispered the last part, but my tone was still cold and hard. At that, Damon smiled in a big, smug smile and that did not inspire me with anything good.

"So Saint Stefan let you go with your memories," Damon concluded with an arrogant smile spreading on his lips. "I bet he told you everything."

'' Do you want to talk about Katherine?" I take my pretentious tone as he shrinks his eyes on me." Yeah, he told me everything. I guess it sucks to have to share his girlfriend with his little brother. "

I did not know where I had left this, but I regretted it from the moment the words left my lips.

Damon had the gift of getting me out of my hinges with just a few words.

Fortunately for me, Felix chose this moment to make an appearance.

"Can I know what you're doing?" He asked, his tone sounding dramatically betrayed. _Well, maybe it was a bad idea_. "I leave you two seconds and now I find you flirting with the new hot piece of the town."

There was a long pause as I stiffened in embarrassment and could feel the red rising to the cheek as I went back and forth between Felix and Damon. The latter looked between confusion at the remark of Felix and enough to his compliment.

Then, Felix replaced his scowl with a big smile in the direction of Damon before turning to me.''You could introduce us. ''

With that, he sat beside me, pushing me with his buttocks to get more room and was now in front of Damon with a cajoling smile on his lips.

"And who is your little friend, Mila?" Damon asked with a dangerous smile giving me goose bumps.

"Felix. Felix Fell. "Felix stepped forward, holding out his hand for Damon to squeeze and the vampire took it without ever taking his eyes off me.

I knew I had to get Felix out. He was not under vervein and I had no confidence in Damon. Only, I was not the best to handle things in sweets and I did not see a way to ask him to leave without doing odious.

Finally, I turned to Felix and cleared my throat to get his attention. The brunette was barely looking at me as he was too busy eating his eyes the psychopath vampire with in front of him.

"Felix!" I called tense making smiles even more Damon as Felix broke a shine on me. "You should go back to work."  
I sent him a flash as he held my gaze in a silent fight and I narrowed my eyes on him with irritation. I was trying to protect him, all he had to do was listen to me.

''Fine!'' He broke his tone up an octave in exasperation as he stood up, handled.'' You can keep him. Anyway, he's 100% straight, bitch. "

I watched his fleeing back shaking his head, incredulous that he had just said that and could feel the eyes of people staring at us before being reminded of reality by Damon's mocking voice, '' Lovely your friend. ''

'' If you ever dare ... '' I turned to him with a flash of cold stare and he raised his finger with a cynical smile

'' Ah! Ah! I'll stop you right now, your five threats are useless." Damon interrupted me, making me squint at him." Besides, I already have my cheerleader. "

'' What's your problem? "I questioned, stunned by his lightness over the whole thing.

''Hmm. I have a lot of problem. Most of the time, fraternal."He answered with an ironic smile. "But right now, I have an embarrassing witness and I don't know if I have to kill her or leave her alive."

The implication was clear in his voice and I stepped back in my seat staring at him with all the hate I could get out.

I could feel the growing fear along my veins, but I let out the hate instead. I did not understand how I managed to do that because, well, he was talking about my life but it was obvious that when it came to Damon my reactions were always unexpected.

'' Oh sorry! Do you expect me to beg you?" I said scornfully, and Damon's cool blue orbs lit up mischievously.

"It would be a good start." He agreed with a pretentious smile.

I laughed in disbelief and gathered my stuff on a whim before crossing the bar furiously. It was my first mistake. I realized this when I was now alone on the empty parking lot and could feel the fear in my chest.

I gathered the courage that remained to me and took a quick step towards my SUV.

I had almost reached my car and thought I was out of the way of harm when suddenly, I was caught by the throat and found myself violently push against my door driver.

I let out a strangled groan as my back hit the sheet and widened my eyes to meet Damon's bluish orbs.

My first instinct was to scratch his hands to get out of his grip, but I knew that was what he was waiting for me. The satisfaction he felt when his victims struggled. I remained totally stoic. Only my still jerky breaths of the first shock were heard and I plunged my eyes into hers. The cerulean blue met the brown, hazel and tacit silence passed between us.

"Are you planning to kill me or what?" I spit, between two breaths since he still had a tight hand around my throat.

Damon tightened his hand to that, causing me to pant for the air and leaned dangerously on me, like a predator on his prey and I widened my eyes when he lowered his head to my neck. There it was, like in my dream. He was going to tear my trachea like he had done with Tanner.

Or not.

He inhaled deeply, making me shudder exactly as in my nightmares and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. It was worse than anything. He was playing with me and I did not know if he was going to kill me or to leave me alive. It was a game for him. He raised his head with a carnivorous smile and I swallowed in fear.

"I'm not going to kill you," he said softly, his warm breath on my lips. " _Yet."_

And like that, he was gone. I fell to the ground coughing heavily to catch the air and rubbed my aching neck with wide eyes in a state of shock.

* * *

The pop music was playing in the background while I was lying on Felix's bed with my eyes fixed on his ceiling.

I could still feel my blood pounding where Damon's fingers had pressed, and I had to hide strangulation marks with a scarf. I had never been so upset and frightened at the same time. After my return, I called Stefan to tell him what had happened and almost begged him to eradicate his brother from the face of the earth before he did it for me.

I was so in my plausible death thoughts that I had to take a while before recognizing the fingers slamming right in front of my eyes.

'' It's not too early!" Exclaimed Felix with a roll of eyes, annoyed."You know, maybe you should stop this loss of consciousness, people might think you're weird."

I narrowed my eyes at him with his sarcastic humor and shook my head as he shrugged and went to his mirror full foot and contemplated himself with a designer shirt in front of him.

"You aware that this is a party, right?" He asked, glancing over his shoulder, scanning my casual outfit for the second time. I sent him a bored glare, making him sigh. "Just to check. ''

It was not because I was going to the party that I was going to change something.

First, I hated dresses. They were uncomfortable and most importantly, inadequate in a race to escape death and given the recent events, I thought I had to take this into account. Then, I had always had a deep contempt for these parties. So I opted for dark blue skinny jeans and a short-sleeved T-shirt with red and black floral prints. My faithful boots with laced feet and my black leather jacket. A casual look and adapted in case of race against death.

'' What do you think about it?" Questioned Felix, turning with the shirt exposed against his trunk.

Honestly, purple was not really its color and it made him a lot paler than he already was. I was shaking my head with a grimace at odds.

Felix let out a tired sigh and threw the shirt to my side before dropping, belly face against the mattress, making me slightly bounce in the process.

'' Remember me why we became friends? You're of no use,"He grumbled in his blankets and I stared at his skull with a deadly glow." Stop looking at me like that and find me a gay outfit. "

I rolled my eyes to his dramatic side but got up all the same and made my way to his wardrobe. I stared at the amount, thinking that even Caroline Forbes probably did not have as much clothing and squinted at Felix with disbelief before shaking my head. It was all him. I went through his shirt door, analyzing each turn and heard the brewing of the covers.

"So are you going to tell me what happened between you and the piece of sex?" Questioned Felix, lust and curiosity clear in his tone and I stiffened immediately to the mention of Damon.

'' Stay away from him, Felix. He's bad news. "I snapped back with a look between panic and authority.

Only, Felix being Felix, "Hum, bad boy then," He said with a smirk. "In your opinion, he's like Christian Gray? ''

I frowned as I continued to pass through the clothes rails. I should have known that Felix would not abandoned so easily, but I also knew that I could not continue to forbid him to approach him. He would probably do the opposite. It was not him but the human kind. From the moment there was something forbidden, they were tempted to transgress. I had observed enough people to know that it worked like this.

"I'm serious, Felix." I just said pulling a shirt to look at it more closely before frowning again, "And who the hell is Christian ... thing?"

There was a gasp and then a shocked cry making me turn around just to look perplexed at the position of Felix.

'' Fifty shades of Gray's, bitch. Why does not it surprise me that you're not reading it." He retorted, getting up and tearing the shirt off my hands to analyze it himself.

"The book of sadomasochism?" I concluded with a raised, incredulous eyebrow.

I had heard Caroline and Elena talk about this damn book for a whole evening and let me tell you that it just looked completely silly.

Honestly, who would like to be beaten and subjected to other ill treatment.

"Hey! This book gave me more orgasm than my last booty call. "He replied, sending me a disapproving glare pointing at me." And don't get me started on Jamie Dornan. ''

I rolled my eyes at his dramatic comment and sat down on the edge of his bed while he changed openly in front of me. Not that it bothered me, but I had never seen a man naked before him except those on TV and I could not help but feel the red on my cheek. I quickly looked away with embarrassment and decided to continue the conversation to entertain myself because he was changing right before my eyes.

'' Yes. Because being hit is totally orgasmic."I said sarcastically as I rolled my eyes.

I had been on the verge of death twice already and I could assure you that it was not a feeling of ecstasy. Adrenaline, maybe, but it was by no means a feeling of pleasure or desire whatsoever.

"One, you didn't read the book. Two, everything is a matter of control and power. "Explained Felix, turning to me." What do I look like? ''

Once Felix was finally ready and that was a task that took us two hours longer, I headed straight for the Salvatore boarding house. Felix was not very happy either. And I knew that Stefan would be in the same mood when he realized that I had taken him with me, but I could not do otherwise. I was not happier to mix him with all that, but he was my friend and my date at it. Of course, I did not intend to tell him that vampires exist and all the secrets. I did not think he could handle it or at least not now.

So, here I am, park in front of the house where rather the red brick mini-manor with wide eyes in amazement. I had never been to this remote corner of the forest until now and when Stefan was talking about a boarding house it was not what I had imagined.

Felix who was equally astonished as he turned to me with attitude." It's their house? "

"Obviously," I replied, still amazed by the sight before quickly unbuckling my belt and turning to Felix, "I wouldn't be long. Stay here.''

''Wh-What ... Whoa! Whoa! Wait! "Felix held me by the arm as I was already going down through my open door.

I looked at him over my shoulder with boredom knowing that I really did not have time for that and started to regret having taken him away.

"Leave that look, Mila," Warned Felix, irritated. "You're just going to leave me here. In the heart of the forest? It's just the screenplay of all horror movies. "

I rolled my eyes to that and tried to handle the situation as cordially as possible."First, we're not in the middle of the forest but in front of the house. Then, if something scares you... "I leaned over him to reach my glove box and pulled out a spray of pepper spray. I bought it before going to Felix's house.

I knew it would not affect Damon, but I still had a hope that it would be a diversion.

At the sight of the spray, Felix widened his eyes, shocked before placing them on me making me roll my eyes again. I took his hand that held my arm and opened it before putting the spray in his hand and going out towards the house. The more I walked, the more I could feel the growing fear in the pit of my stomach. I pulled the edges of my jacket over me in a slight shudder and filled the rest of the space between me and the door. I hit the carillon and glanced over my shoulder at the car to find Felix watching me with a scowl. I shook my head as I turned around and jumped a meter at the sight of a smiling, hilarious Stefan.

"Quit that smile, Salvatore," I said, pointing at him as I still held my panting chest.

"Sorry," He apologized sheepishly, still wearing that damned smile, and I could not believe a single word.

Fucked Vampires.

He glanced back probably to see Felix's presence and put his questioning eyes on me.

"Long story," I replied, sweeping the situation with my hand and stepped in as he stepped aside to let me in.

I heard the door close on me, followed closely by Stefan's almost inaudible footsteps, but I was too much absorbed by the discovery of the board to pay attention to him. It was simply huge and old but still huge. I had the impression of entering an antique museum. There was a staircase on my left leading probably to an infinite number of rooms and I was looking straight ahead to discover a huge open living room.

I was aware of my mouth gaping as I took everything in sight and turned to Stefan, bewildered and for the first time aware of his appearance. He wore a very elegant black suit that only made him look more distinguished and realized how incredibly beautiful he was. He was almost unreal.

"Nice suit. Very dashing. '' I complimented a little more in the open living room.

''Thank you. I guess that's your outfit for the party?" He said with an amused hint in his voice compelling me to turn to him.

"I don't like these party, nor the dresses for info," I replied casually as I shrugged. "Moreover, it seems that I have an annoying habit of finding myself in situations that require the race then ... think it would be better to opt for a suitable outfit. "

"I promise you that Damon will not hurt you anymore." Stefan immediately came to my remark with a sincere expression of excuse and I swept his consideration with one hand.

"No offense to you. I'll be sure of that when we've neutralized it."I snorted wearily before looking at him more seriously, crossing my arms over my chest." That's why I'm here. So, what's the plan? ''

Stefan gauged me for a moment in silence with his tight lips as he thought again the idea of getting me involved in all this before finally leaving a constrained expression on his face and reaching for his inner pocket of his jacket.

He took out a vial containing a yellowish liquid and handed it to me. "I already tried to drug his drink earlier. But tonight, I'll try again. "

''What makes you think he will not be on his guard?" I asked, skeptical frowning on the vial in my hands.

It was very plausible. After all, he had already alerted him of his intentions and Damon was much smarter than that to let himself be. If it did not work the first time, what would make it work a second time?

"He will not be." Assured Stefan, "He doesn't think I'll start again soon. Not after my failure. Only this time, I'm going to drug Caroline's glass. "

I put my eyes on him and frowned, biting my lip in thought. It was a plan left or double. We would have only one leeway and it was still risky. It was based only on the hope that Damon would be fool enough to feed on Caroline at the party and even though I thought he was unpredictable, I had a doubt about trapping him so easily.

'' What am I doing in all this?" I asked, resting my questioning eyes on him.

"I need you to take the flask with you and drug the Caroline's glass. "He said with a slight grimace of excuse and I stared at him in surprise.

"Seriously? '' I exclaimed, bewildered. '' You even know what you're asking me? And if, if I could not, huh? Or, then, he surprise me by doping her glass? "I was up to the minute watching the flask in panic. '' No! No! I'm not the right candidate for that. "

I handed the vial back to him, holding it as if it were a bomb that would explode from one minute to the next and shook my head madly in negation. It was too big a responsibility. The whole plan was resting on me and I was not doing very well in stressful situations.

"Mila! "Called Stefan pushing the vial back to me before taking me by the shoulders to make me look at him." That's the only way. I don't want him to hurt you, but you have to do it if you really want to stop him. "

I went back and forth between the vial and Stefan, knowing that he was right and pressed my lips in indecision. I had much more doubt about this plan than certainty, but Stefan was right. If I wanted to get rid of this sick vampire then I would have to abuse myself.

I stopped on the vial, contrite and let out a deep sigh of surrender before looking up at Stefan.

"I'm going to do it," I said impassively.

"Mila, I promise, nothing will happen to you," He assures, leaning over me with his forest orbs. Sincerity and clear concern in his tone.

"I trust you," I confided, looking away, surprised by my own revelation and cleared my throat to change the subject and especially avoid

Stefan's surprise expression at my statement. "So, you go with Elena. ''

Stefan stared at me a little again with my statement before pulling himself together and watching me with a raised eyebrow. '' And you go with this boy ... ''

"Felix.'' I continued as he did not seem to know his name and I nodded, wrinkling my lips, '' Yeah ... he's a Fell then ...''

'' He and you are... ''

'' Together? "I exclaimed, widening my eyes to the innuendo with continuing briskly." No! No! We're friends. Just friends. "I was looking at

Stefan slowly, embarrassed."If you really want to know, he's gay."

Stefan's eyes widened at this, surprised and rubbed his neck nervously as an awkward silence fell on us. I did not really understand why I felt so nervous in his presence. I trusted him, and I had just plotted a plan to drug his brother.  
Moreover, I was in the confidence of his nature, so it should not make us so embarrassed. We could do the little chit chat. We had already done it. I frowned, annoyed by my own thoughts and broke my gaze on Stefan.

'' Okay! Cannot we do that? "I begged, raising my arms, bored and Stefan stared at me, confused."That embarrassed silence. We are friends so act as such. "

Stefan seemed to be considerably relaxing at this as he let out a chuckle. '' Friends, huh? ''

I took a double hold feeling the anxiety mounted as I might have said an error and Stefan's smile immediately fell into a grownup frown.

"We're friends, Mila," He assured himself with a confident little smile, and I was smiling at myself."You know it's probably our first conversation that does not specifically involve... ''

'' Vampires?" I finished for him with a smirk and nodded, grinning with a smile. "It's a first step in our friendship."

I gave him a playful wink, making him laugh silently.

Suddenly, he seemed to stiffen slightly before letting a confused expression settle on his features before resting his puzzled eyes on me."I think you should go there. Your friend is starting to ... become impatient. "

He widened his eyes in shock and I suspected that he must have heard some of Felix's ravings and widened my eyes wide in turn.

'' You can hear him?" I was in disbelief and Stefan turned to me with an arrogant smile.

"I can," He confirmed before frowning and placing his eyes in shock on me, "I think he's planning to kill you with a pepper spray."

I let out a small laugh, amused by Felix's ravings as always and passed Stefan. "In that case, I should go. See you later, Stef. ''

I was making my way back to the car and would smile sheepishly when Felix glared at me.

* * *

The trip was made up of death threats and any other question to know what all this was hiding but my thoughts were more centered on the vial that weighed in my pocket. I felt like I had a dead weight on me and I could feel it with every movement. I knew that I had to do it for myself but also for the whole city. Damon was a danger and I doubted he would stop anytime soon. He needed to be neutralized.

Finally, I parked in the parking lot of the huge Lockwood residence and shut down the engine before watching the line leading to the party with apprehension. My hand flicked unconsciously in my pocket and I could feel the shape of the tube under the leather material.

'' Okay! What's the all-serious expression and the scary silence?" Felix exploded, sounding more panicked than anything else, and I turned my gaze away from him.

'' What are you talking about. I'm fine, "I mutter innocently, narrowing his eyes at me suspiciously.

"You never say I'm fine," Supported Felix, crossing his arms over his chest, and I feigned a confused look, making him sigh in defeat."Should I be worried? ''

'' What?" I asked, widening my eyes before swallowing." No! No! Everything is fine.''

I hurried out of the car without waiting for an answer and started walking for the queue. I could hear Felix's quick steps catching me and I swallowed again in apprehension. It was definitive, I was not made for high stress situations.

We walked quickly to the entrance where Carol Lockwood and her husband, the mayor welcomed all the guests. As I had foreseen, the look of judgment at my outfit was very clear on Carol's face but it was nothing compared to the glare she sent to Felix. I could feel the anger mounted to it and wanted more than anything to make her swallow her eyes but reminded me that they all thought that I did not speak.

"Felix ... Mila." Carol welcomed coldly, and I pressed my lips with all the control I could handle.

''Come in, you two. '' We escorted Mayor Lockwood and I was going to continue my way, but Felix, who was still holding my arm, stopped in front of Carol Lockwood with that false smile frowning at me, perplexed.

"Mrs. Lockwood." Hailed Félix, scanning her from head to toe." This dress is lovely. It would almost give you air ... um ... young. "

I could not help but smile to Carol's shocked expression as Felix pulled me into the party and I turned to him.

"It was great," I murmured in admiration and adoration at that moment.

"Carol and I have a long history," He said with a nostalgic smile before leaning over me. "I came out to one of her dinner parties."

I widened my eyes, bewildered by this revelation and could not help but find this guy awesome. He was just so confident and acted as he pleased. He did not care what people could think of and made me laugh.  
Felix leads us to the bar when the News guy pops up in front of us with that fake camera smile. He had that boring dick aura and on the other hand, Felix's annoyed expression, I doubted he liked him very much.

"Felix. My nephew. "Hail the news guy with a falsely cheerful tone and turned to me with a bigger smile." Oh! If it's not Mila Gilbert. I am Logan Fell. Uncle Felix but you must know, your aunt had to talk to you about me. "

I raised an eyebrow at that and turned to Felix, my expression shared between uncertainty and total boredom.

"It was a pleasure to see you. As always."Cut short Felix hardly looking at Logan as he pulled me with him, away from the bar and his uncle.

We had spent most of the evening avoiding all the guests and Felix had found it a real pleasure to criticize each of them with all possible hatred. It seems like I was not the only one to have been harshly judged by the city and wondered how it was that we did not find each other before. I mean, we were both, two kinds of outcast and had a facility to support each other. Which given my almost regular silence could be embarrassing. He never pushed me to speak more than I wanted and accepted my facial reactions where gestures to most of his questions. It was like this we had this tacit understanding that did not require unnecessary discussion.

I had spotted Stefan and Elena arrived a little earlier and went to the antiques room just like Damon who was shooting Caroline with a visibly bored expression. His simple sight was enough to remind me of the bottle in my pocket and I could hear my beating become somewhat irregular, my hands were moist, and I was almost certain to have broken a sweat. I hated feeling like that, but anyone would be so if their life had been threatened twice within four days by the same person. This new thought gave me a boost of courage and I sat up with a deep breath.

"Look, new hot piece of town with blonde Barbie." Recognized Felix sarcastic and I turned to him with a smile. "How predictable."

"Jealous much? " I teased with a big smirk and Felix narrowed his eyes on me before smiling in his turn.

"I don't know, you tell me. You were the one who had a little face to face with him." He taunted in his turn and I could feel the heat on my cheeks in spite of myself.

If he took it like that.

'' I'm not the one who has blatantly hit on him.'' I was retorting to get the last word and Felix scoffed.

'' Sweetheart. I would hit on all the cute guys in this town if I could."I grimaced at Damon's cute assemblage and shook his shoulders with a horrified expression. ''What? "

''Nothing." I said as I put my eyes on the couple and darkened my mood when Damon waved his hand in my direction. "It's just that Damon... and cute don't go together. Maniac, crazy, psychopath, maybe, but cute? Certainly not.''

I knew he could hear me since Stefan was able to hear Felix outside his own house, but his reaction was different from what I had hoped for. His smile widened considerably as he stared openly at me and made me a kind of reverence calling out Felix's confused look at me.

'' What was that?" Asked the dark-eyed boy, wide in shock and curiosity.

I shrugged innocently and grabbed a glass of champagne when one of the waiters passed by. It turned out that the short time I had been busy with Felix, was enough for Damon to expel his brother away with Caroline and ended up alone with my sister. I could see Stefan staring at his surroundings and doubting that I was the one he was waiting for. I looked at the cup that was in my hand and felt the weight of the vial again. I had to act intelligently and above all, quickly. In a fraction of a second, I took the jar out of my pocket and poured its contents into the glass of champagne and went back in search of Stefan. Now, I just had to find a way to get the cut to Stefan. Just then, I saw Damon and Elena come out of the hall and knew I had to hurry up.

One of the waiters passed right in front of us with a single glass of champagne and I knew it was the opportunity I needed. I quickly grabbed his arm, questioning him, and he frowned at me with irritation.

'' Can I help you?" He asked gruffly, staring at me from head to toe.

I restrained myself from rolling my eyes since I needed him and put the cup on the tray.

"Can you send those two glasses to the couples there? They're friends of mine, "I said with a fake smile, trying to act as open as possible even if he was literally typing me on the system.

'' These two? "He nodded, and I smiled falsely from one ear to another. I smiled so much that I thought I was going to be stuck like the smile of the joker.

'' Yes. Please."I added, thinking it would make the difference, but he narrowed his eyes at me in boredom.

'' Why not do it yourself?" He asked in a condescending tone.

I was about to give him a piece of my mind when Felix interposed between us and gave me a sharp look.

"You're bad at convincing," He said, shaking his head almost disappointingly at the waiter's confused look before turning back to him with a charming smile.

I watched as Felix whispered something in the waiter's ear and gaped in utter stupefaction as he immediately headed for Stefan and Caroline. Felix stood at my side and I gauged him in amazement before I remembered the cup.

The waiter made a sign to us when he was at a good distance and Stefan stared at me in a secret look.

"Right glass." I whispered in a whisper knowing that he could hear me and Felix broke his confused look on me.

''I don't know why it was important for you to have these glasses but I need an explanation. "Felix asked, narrowing his eyes to me, leaving me no way out.

I swallowed knowing that I could not tell him the truth and could feel panic rise. Did I already say how bad I was under stress? Yeah, well, I was bad. I did not know what to say to explain all this.

I grabbed Felix's arm hastily, escorting him to the lantern-lit garden knowing that he was probably going to make a scene and stood in front of him, rubbing my forehead in search of a plausible explanation.

"I can't tell you anything but ..." Felix sighed heavily, raising his hands in exasperation, stopping in my explanation. "Felix, listen to me, I need you to trust me."

Felix frowned at me as he debated internally, and I had never felt so frightened at losing someone. After the death of my parents, I had developed an unconditional fear of losing the people to whom I was holding and going through the whole pattern of grief and pain. I should have known that I would not end up attaching myself to Felix.

It was too good to last.

'' You know what? It doesn't matter. "

"Come on Felix. "

"I need a drink."

With that, he turned around without even glancing at me and made his way through Lockwood House, leaving me on my own. I let out a groan of exasperation and ran my hand through my almost auburn-brown hair in frustration and simply flipped back to take a step back in fear at the sight of Damon.

'' Surprise!" He exclaimed in a cheerful, exaggerated tone and raised his hands making me immediately turn around in irritation.

Even before I could take a step forward he had my elbow in a tight grip and made me turn around to meet with full force his chest dressed in a black shirt.

'' Let go of me!" I hissed furiously, pulling against him unnecessarily. '' I told you to let me go.''

"It's strange how you keep making requests that you know, will not happen," He mocked, arching his head to the side with an evil smile.

'' What do you want from me? "I growled furiously, trying to put as much distance between us as possible despite his grip.

If only, I had not doped the drink of Caroline, I would be much more exasperated but I knew he was going to make a misstep and I would finally be free of him and all his bullshit.

"Hum ... a lot of things," He replied, surprising me and staring at my stunned eyes as he widened his smirk. "But now, I want you to dance with me."

As soon as the words had left his lips, he dragged me onto the dance floor, in the sight of everyone and I was aware of the eyes on us.

He took my hand in his and placed his other on my fall of kidney sending me a thrill of disgust in all my body. I swallowed in embarrassment and followed his steps despite myself. I had never felt so upset. He took me like his bloody puppet he could walk where he wanted, when he wanted.

'' Why me?" I broke in a low whisper, looking up hating him.

"Collateral damage." He said casually, shrugging his shoulders, nonchalantly. "So, what's the story with the little gay waiter? I thought you didn't have a friend. "

I watched him, dazed, incredulous that he had even asked such a trivial question when he had just forced me to dance with him and called me a collateral damage.

He stared at me expectantly and I tried to examine him in search of his true intentions.

Suddenly, I was fully aware of our proximity. I could feel how cold his hands were against my skin and his icy blue eyes seemed to glow with the lantern reverberations. His jet-black hair was nonchalantly styled to match his unpredictable personality. Some features of Stefan could be found in his face, even tiny and I realized how hard it must be for Stefan to live with a brother like Damon. He had come to set up deceitful plans to protect me and the entire city from his maniacal brother.

"What can it do to you?" I blinked, looking over his shoulder and found Elena staring at us in fear and hatred.

"You have an attitude. I like that."He remarked with his mocking tone and I wanted more than anything to crush his arrogant smile." The casual look was supposed to act rebellious?''

"We call it nonconformist," I said irritably. "And I hate dresses or even this party to be honest then."

'' Why come in then?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, questioning and I noticed that we had stopped dancing.

I raised an eyebrow at my turn in uncertainty and disgust. "Are we having a conversation? ''

Only, he did not have time to answer me as Elena burst out, like a fury and threw Damon back into violence.

I took advantage of my new freedom and Elena's diversion to get out of Damon's clutches and went looking for Stefan. I found him quickly at the back of the house, standing in front of the fountain and rushed straight for him almost in a race.

'' Stefan!" I called, my tone betraying my panic and he immediately turned, alarmed.

"Mila! What's happening?"Asked Stefan, watching me from head to toe in an anxious act, once I was in front of him.

"I'm fine but Elena might not be," I swept quickly to center the subject. "She ..."

'' Excuse me, Stefan, I take everything I said.'' Elena rushes to my side, not even noticing me at first.'' You were right for Damon. ''  
Stefan immediately put his worried look on me, alerting Elena of my presence, which was looking at me confused now. "What did he do again?"

"There are bites on Caroline's body, neck, scapula, deep marks and she has confused and completely confused thoughts." Elena enumerated shaking her head, panicked and disgusted not noticing at first the look that Stefan and I were exchanging.

"You don't seem surprised. "She slowly measured her eyes slowly on me." You, too, Mila."

I swallowed, feeling the panic take over and looked anxiously at Stefan. Whatever happened as a result of this conversation would be bad. Very bad even. I really did not know how Stefan could carry the weight of this secret every day. It was barely three days since I knew it and I felt like I was going to explode. I was not made to live under pressure.

"It's ..." Stefan started hesitantly, drawing Elena's attention to him. "It's a problem I'm going to fix."

"What are you going to settle?" Elena indignantly, her eyes widening, troubled. "Stefan is the prison he deserves."

Oh, if only it was that simple. I wish so much that prison is a first choice rather than knowing the true truth.

"No, Elena, please listen to me, I don't expect you to understand." Plaid Stefan at this point and I softened my gaze on him knowing that it was hard for him.

Once again, his brother had screwed everything up and I suspected that in 162 years it was not the first time. Only, it really seemed to reach him.

"Oh, that's right, I don't understand anything." Elena coldly agreed, narrowing her eyes at him in irritation. "But that sounds simple, though. Even Mila seems to know, and she doesn't speak. So, go ahead and explain me. "

Ok, so it was out of line for her.

I frowned, annoyed by this whole conversation and wondered how Stefan could handle all his shit without bursting. If I could talk, I would probably have told her everything I had on my heart at this point.

"Listen, there are things you don't know, things that I wish I could talk to you about but that's impossible for me and I may never be able to. And Mila has nothing to do with it all. "Admitted Stefan with the most heart-breaking look I had ever seen." I'm just asking you to trust me. "

Yeah, I knew first hand that this line was useless. Whether with Felix or worse, again with Elena. She would never stop poking her nose where it was not necessary until she was in the secret. It was just another feature I had to learn to bear.

"Trust is worth it." Moralized Elena while I am rolling my eyes."How do you want me to grant you it blindly?"

My gaze drifted on Stefan sympathetically to Elena's words, but he was soon replaced by a frown as Stefan seemed to look away. I followed his line of sight and found none other than Damon dragged Caroline against her will. The anger turned in my veins at sight and I narrowed my eyes on the duet.

"Excuse me, I'll have to leave you." Excused Stefan distractedly after giving me an alert look and darted after the couple.

I took a step forward to follow him but was restrained by Elena's hand on my arm. God, why should they all do that?

'' Where are you going? " She inquired curtly into her usual sisterly, cop, and frowning over my shoulder.

I raised my arm to free myself from her grip and headed back to Stefan and the duo before she could hold me back.

The more I went into the park and more, I could distinguish a set of voices. I had almost arrived at the familiar Lockwood Estate fountain when I felt a hand on my mouth making my eyes go wide in fear before a familiar voice was heard in my ear.

'' Shhh ! It's me."I relaxed in Stefan's embrace and he released his hand before training away from the branches of a tree.

I widened my eyes at the sight of Damon and Caroline and could feel my heart beating madly against my chest when Damon tilted his head back with his fangs coming out in the moonlight before wildly plunging his fangs into Caroline's neck.

Then, almost as fast as he had planted his fangs in his neck, he fell heavily to the ground, dragging Caroline's soft body into his fall and groaning in pain.

Stefan gave me a nod and I walked to his side to get the vampire back. I watched with satisfaction and relief as Stefan knelt at Damon's height.

"I knew I couldn't put some in your drink," Stefan said condescendingly as he looked up at me, also drawing Damon's attention. "Then I put in her."

The weak vampire with jet-black hair widened his eyes in surprise at my sight before narrowing them. "Little Gilbert. I should have known."

His words were barely audible as he croaked in pain and Stefan lifted him off the floor before throwing him like a vulgar bag on his shoulder.

"You can go home, Mila. I'm taking care of him. "Assured Stefan, reassuring but I could see the pain of his betrayal in his green orbs as well as the one that Elena had probably caused him.

"I'm going to take care of Caroline and I'll join you," I replied, leaving no room for discussion and he seemed to want to object but voices were not long in being heard.

I watched his retirement when Caroline's moan came back to me. I leaned over her figure and she soon opened her eyelids in a feeling of fear and total confusion.

"Hey! Hey! Slowly! "I was gently guiding her to get up and luckily for me, she was too shaken to notice my eloquence.

She seemed to be searching all around her and stooped to retrieve what I assumed was her bag, half of whose contents had been spilled on the floor during her fall.

I guided her to the party, taking care to watch over her sanity even if she was quite disoriented at the moment and was soon assaulted by an Elena, panicked.

'' Caroline! '' Hailed Elena, running to us. ''Finally, I find you, you know I've been looking for you everywhere." She babbled, giving me a weird look before turning to Caroline with concern, "Hey, how are you?"

Caroline's uncertain answer was almost robotized. "Yes, yes ... it's okay."

"But what happened to her?" Elena asked me, probably trusting me a lot more than Caroline now, and I just shrugged in complete silence.

"I'm fine." Caroline insisted in a shameless lie and Elena frowned at the blonde, incredulous.

"No, what happened to you? You're shaking like a leaf. "Elena noticed before taking charge of the blonde and hugging her," Come here, calm down. "

I watched awkwardly as Caroline began to cry in Elena's arms. She gave me a suspicious look over her friend's shoulder and I swallowed, looking away.

As much as Caroline's case was saddening, I had one of my friends to worry about. I left quickly without a glance at the duo and walked straight for my car. I quickly took out my phone knowing that it could be the end of my friendship with Felix and typed a quick SMS.

 _ **Me: Sorry, had an emergency! Can you find a return?  
**_  
I was riding in my SUV from the moment I pressed send and buckled my belt before turning on the ignition. A familiar beep sounded in the cabin and I looked at my phone expectantly.

 _ **Felix: You'll see me again, bitch !**_

I smiled as I typed my answer and made my way to the Salvatore boarding house.

 _ **Me: Sure!**_

* * *

I had driven at an unreasonably fast speed and reached the board within fifteen minutes.

Once in the driveway, I shut off the engine and removed the keys, leaning with a sigh in my seat. This evening was crazy to say the least and I knew that once I set foot in this house it would continue. I could easily leave Stefan alone to manage his brother and Elena's anger but as I said, we were friends and that really meant something to me.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not see the figure in front of my door and jumped with a slight cry panic at the sight of a smiling, sheepish Stefan.

''You're crazy !"I cried, holding my heart for the second time today and frowned at him," You really need to stop this."

"Sorry," Stefan apologized sheepishly. '' I saw your car through the window and you didn't come in so ... ''

"Yeah, I was ..." I stopped not really knowing how to formulate my thoughts and I saw the understanding on Stefan's face. '' What if we went for a ride? ''

Stefan raised an eyebrow at that but accepted with a smile anyway.

I watched as he disappeared at an improbable speed and was now in the passenger seat, curled and smiling from one ear to another to my expression stunned. I shook my head as I turned on the engine and steered on the quiet roads of Mystic Falls.


	5. Chapter 5 : Wonderful Life

**Chapiter five : Wonderful Life  
**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _My life had become a kind of blur that I did not really understand myself. I had been in and out of Felix's house for Pension Salvatore these past few days and strangely, I had never felt so good. I knew it meant a lot about my family, but I could not help but feel myself with them. The gay and the vampire. It seems that the difference was what attracted me to them._ _  
_ _Well, now, let's talk about a much more serious thing. Damon was locked in one of the cells of the pension ... I know who would have cells at home? But it was vampires, so it made more sense ... I guess. So, he had been locked in one of the cellars, although I was not allowed to go under Mr. Stefan's express orders. But as I said, the more we refused and the more it was tempting ..._

I heard the strangled laughter and the sickening suctions coming from Jeremy's room and stopped at once in my writing with a disgusted grimace. It seems that Vicki had stopped by the party the other night and since then they were inseparable.

Honestly, I did not really know what to think of that. On the one hand, she really seemed to make him happy but knowing the drugged side of Vicki, I knew it would not last. She was far too distracted to maintain something without spoiling everything.

I called these people, Self-destructive.

Anyway, I got up from my window sill and hid my diary in its place before going down the stairs to go into the kitchen. I was not surprised to find Jenna and Elena already in a conversation and went straight for the refrigerator keeping a tense ear.

"And you, did you hear from Stefan?" I exited Jenna's question and headed back to the duo, pouring myself a bowl of cereal.

I knew Stefan's position on all that. In fact, we had a lot of talk during the last days and I knew now that he was in a lot of pain. His vampire condition was not a choice and he hated to lie to Elena, but his bloodlust was also one of the reasons he wanted to stay away from her.

As the official Bambi eater, he did not have as much control as a vampire full of human blood and always had a temptation when he was in the presence of humans. Well, that was my role in all of this. I helped him live with a human almost permanently.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not notice the two staring at me expectantly as Elena had pointed out that I knew something but kept it from her. I raised my head of my cereal's in an awakening and frowned at their insistent glances.

I really did not want to face that in the morning, let alone listen to questions that they knew I would not answer. I left my bowl half full in the sink and sighed heavily on my way to the front door. I grabbed my leather jacket and slammed the door on my way to my SUV.

I had learned more about Stefan and Felix than I could ever do in a few days and I felt a strong sense of loyalty to each one of them. They were my friends and I thought that Stefan's secret had particularly contributed to our rapprochement. After discovering all his stories throughout his life, I could already say that he had had his share of suffering. We were not so different at heart. I could understand that sense of pain that followed him constantly as well as his constant struggle for temptation. He was the most human being I knew, even though he thought he was a monster.

I parked in front of the pension Salvatore and unlike my first visits, I did not hesitate a single second to get off my SUV and make my way into the house. I knew that the door was still open, so I made my way into the house without bothering to knock and was again dazzled by the beauty of the pension. I would never get tired of this feeling.

I made my way to the living room where the sun's rays illuminated the whole room with the huge Gothic window and looked around for Stefan. Usually, he heard my coming from the outside and was always happy to blow me up on the ceiling with one of his little vampire tricks but today the boarding house seemed like a ghost house.

'' Stefan?" I called out loud, looking around me. '' Zach? Anyone? ''

I had met the uncle or Stefan's nephew finally was still weird for me, during my recurring visits. I had never seen him before, even though he had always lived in our little town and I had learned that he had been my main savior. He was the one who provided the verveine to trap Damon and I could never put enough words to thank him. He had probably saved my life. I could not wait for Stefan to move Damon's desiccated body into their family crypt. It turned out that when a vampire did not get a regular diet, he ended up drying out and then getting mummified.

Since I did not find one soul in the house, my mind immediately wandered to the cellar. I looked around before falling on the corridor leading to the basement. I bit my lip in hesitation and then decided.

I made my way down the hall and soon fell in front of an imposing door. I raised my hand to reach the handle but refrained by biting my hesitant lip and looked up at the door. I did not really know what I was going to find behind that door. I had no desire to see Damon again and felt no remorse for trapping him, but I could not ignore the pull that kept me going to that door. Stefan had warned me of all the little wits that Damon could do and that even if he was locked up and weakened that did not stop him from being dangerous.

It seemed that the question was no longer as the door opened making me take a step back in surprise and my expression of shock was soon to be replaced by guilt at the sight of Stefan.

''Mila?" He remarked, raising his eyebrows in surprise before narrowing his eyes sharply at me, "I told you to stay away from Damon. He's dangerous. ''

He closed the door behind him giving me a sharp look as he locked, and I rolled my eyes before following him.

'' I know. You told me about a dozen times,"I groaned with a bored pout before continuing with a serious look and voice like him." _Mila, he's stronger than you think, and I can't protect you if you go there alone._ "

At this point, Stefan had turned around and looked at me with unmoved eyes and frowned again in his anxious, twenty-nine face. I could not stop myself from feeling like a little girl under his glare and an innocent pout crossed my face in the hope that he would forget but he was too strong to let himself be pouted.

'' It's okay. Fine. You won."I exploded, unable to hold his stern look and walked to the kitchen as an amused smile spread over Stefan's lips." No one could resist my special pout before, "I murmured, bored as I walked to the refrigerator.

I had spent enough time in this boarding house to get comfortable and act like in my own home. Besides, I was one of the only ones who was served food, so Stefan did not really mind. I took out the bottle of orange juice and went to the cupboard above the sink for a drink under the watchful eye of Stefan.

I poured myself a drink and joined Stefan on the counter and frowned at him. "What? ''

"You've become very comfortable here," He said with an indescribable look and I just shrugged.

"My dear sister was questioning me this morning and I didn't really have time to have a real breakfast," I explained wearily before seeing

Stefan's look soften at Elena's mention. "It's going to be fine, Stefan. Elena is not one to hold a grudge for too long. I remember when I was younger, I used her dolls as a sacrifice for Jeremy's boa."Stefan raised a puzzled eyebrow at that and I narrowed my eyes at him, pointing at him." Hey! Don't judge. I was eight years old and this thing terrified me. I thought that if I gave him the dolls, he wouldn't want to eat me. It was either the dolls or me. In other words, the choice was fast. ''

I took a sip of my juice and looked up at Stefan to find him with difficulty in laughing and I frowned at him with a scowl. That was enough to break his control and he giggled, hilarious.

"Yeah. Yeah. So hilarious."I was annoyed at his brilliance and he finally calmed down but still smirked.

Zach chose this moment to make his entrance and greeted me cheerfully on his way to the coffee machine before taking any ingredients in the refrigerator.

"Hey, Zach! Slept well?" I asked as he sat by my side to prepare his sandwich.

"I'll be sleeping when he's locked up in that crypt," He replied, still sporting his anxious and firm expression in every circumstance.  
He seemed to be a really lonely man and I was convinced that it had to do with being bonded with vampires or rather vampires like Damon. I could see the nervousness he was giving his nephew and I wondered how much life the vampire could have spoiled.

My gaze drifted on Stefan to that and I noticed that he had lost all his lightness as he looked at his nephew.'' He woke up. He is very weak, but it is better not to go down to see him. It's Damon, I have no idea of the danger he represents even in this state. "

I could feel his sharp look on me all the way through and I knew he was saying it more as a warning to me than to Zach. I rolled my eyes as I finished the rest of my drink and put it under the water before storing it in their dishwasher.

"But you're going to class?" Zach remarked, his tone a little more moralistic than he should be, and I could not help but narrow my eyes to him.

It was not because he had a psychopathic brother locked in his cellar that he had to give up all his life. He had already been locked up for three days. He was not going to stay hidden indefinitely. Moreover, he had a relationship to repair. I knew that I was thinking of pure egoism, but Stefan was my friend and so, if he was with Elena then that made him, my brother-in-law. He was becoming the family and that would only add an official title to my thoughts.

"I have a life waiting for me outside, it's time for me to take it back where I left it and see Elena." Stefan replied visibly the same as I was before putting his loving puppy orbs at me, "As long as she talks to me again."

'' I told you. She's not spiteful,"I said with a rolling eye." You just have to present yourself with that smile and these lovely eyes and she forgive you with a snap of your finger."I declared with a smile, snapping my fingers to show my point. "And if that doesn't work. You can always tear off her neckless and force her with your crazy vampiric eye thing. ''

Stefan narrowed his eyes at me, not amused by my sarcastic remark. "Hilarious," I rolled my eyes, smirking and tugging at my tongue, playfully.

"Payback is a bitch." I smirked with a smirk as Zach, who had watched our exchange with curiosity, became known.

"Why didn't you call her?"

My smile immediately fell into a concerned expression as I saw Stefan frown in the hustle and bustle.

''Why do you do it? '' Objected Stefan, rhetoric. '' To lie to her again? I hate to lie to her, I can't do it. She felt for miles that I had a secret. ''

I knew how he felt. Elena had been nonstop on me since the game and I knew she would not stop there.

Like Felix, he had kept asking me questions about the Salvatore brothers and desperately wanted to know what was going on with them. Eventually, I had managed to get him a boat, but I could still feel the weight of guilt and remorse to lie to him. Even though I knew it was for the best it did not make lies easier.

"Do you really have a choice?" Zach pops up, calling me just like Stefan. "You came back with the wish to live as normal a life as possible, you knew it would take some sacrifices. ''

After this wise and yet restrictive remark, Stefan and I had gone for my car and had started driving for high school. A sad silence had fallen on us. I did not like silences. No I hated silences. Especially with Stefan, it was something I noticed. As much as I kept most of my thoughts for myself, with him I still had unresolved questions. He was much wiser than anyone and I really enjoyed our conversations.

'' Okay! Stop with silence tormenting."Explosed annoyed, surprising Stefan in his thoughts. "You're going to talk to Elena, lock up Damon in the crypt and everything will be better in the best of all worlds."

"Do you know it's a controversial philosophical doctrine? "Objected Stefan making me look at him in boredom and he raised his hands in surrender. '' Ok! Ok! You're right!" I looked back at the windshield as silence fell over us again." And how's Felix? "

'' Well, he's fine." I replied with a smile before glancing at Stefan, "Although I think he's a little jealous of my attention on you."  
Stefan was laughing silently at that, "Oh, I guess."

The rest of the trip was a lot lighter after that and I finally parked in the parking lot where most students glanced at us as if we were aliens. Stefan and I were silent for a moment while looking at the doors of the high schools before I decided to break the silence by always keeping my eyes on the doors. '' Do you think we could go back to the boarding house without being caught? ''

Stefan looked at me authoritatively and I knew he would not let me miss another day. I sighed heavily with a dramatic roll of eyes and got off my truck at the same time as Stefan. We walked side by side down the halls and avoided most of the shocked looks on our way.  
We were almost at my locker when I spotted Elena and Bonnie in front of their lockers with a frown toward where they were looking. I followed their line of sight and found Caroline, acting again like her natural playfulness as if nothing had happened. My gaze immediately turned to Stefan and I could already find him looking at me with an expression like mine. I gave him an encouraging nod to the two girls and left him to go to my locker.

I was surprised to find none other than Felix backing it and smiled at the mere sight of the boy. He straightened up at my sight and wore a matching smile.

"So you were again with Salvatore, huh?" He wondered, his tone slightly irritated as I opened my locker with a smile at his antics.

"You know that look of jealousy it's doing you pretty well." I joked playfully, closing my locker with my books against my chest and staring at him with a smirk.

'' I don't like him. '' He said, throwing a glare on the couple further and I broke a bored look on him.'' What? He gives me goose bumps. "

"Rabbits give you goosebumps." I shook my head rolling my eyes and started walking down the halls.

Felix followed me and stood next to me."They're scary with their big ears and their constantly moving noses."

''Of course. That's make literally sense.''

"Seriously, have you never seen Roger Rabbit?"Insisted Felix making me roll my eyes again and he narrows his eyes at me in annoyance."Fine. First, stop rolling your eyes, you'll end up getting trapped. Then, tomorrow. You and me. Sexy car wash. ''

I laughed in disbelief as I looked at him as he had two heads before giving up my smile at his deadly serious expression. "Huh! Not possible.''

"Oh yes, bitch! I haven't had sex since I'm meet you and I need it. Little prude,"He demanded, rolling my eyes at his theatricality.

"I'm sixteen," I defended myself, "It's perfectly normal not to have had sex at my age."

'' And my mother thinks that being gay is a disease,but we all know she just wants an excuse to justify it.'' Supported sarcastic Felix rolling his eyes at the mention of his mother.

Honestly, I could understand. I met the woman and I could tell she was a real bully. She was just like Carol Lockwood in ten times worse if it had even been possible.

Damn, she asked me if I preferred a white or champagne wedding gown when I married Felix. I did not know what was the most distressing.

The fact that she could even imagine me with a dress or that she was veiling her face on her own son.

* * *

Once the school was over, I took Felix home and went straight to my house. Stefan had an appointment with Elena to talk to her and I sincerely hoped that it would work. I knew she could not hold a grudge against him or anyone else. It was not her personality to be vindictive. Let's just say it was more my role.

I was sitting now, legs crossed like an Indian on my bed and playing softly on my guitar. The sound of strings and melody filled my room and I let myself be rocked by the reassuring warmth. I was much calmer now that Damon had been locked up and for once, I was truly enjoying my life. Stefan assured me that this sentence would decrease over time although she would still be there, but I could learn to live with it. I thought he had brought a lot more for me than I could ever bring him. Felix had also contributed but Stefan had done something great at home. He trusted me and did not consider me weak or even dumb. He just looked at me as the person I was and even though I hated the attention, it was more than welcome.

Suddenly, Robert Pattinson's Never Thing was soon heard, and I broke my eyes on my bedside table with a raised eyebrow, questioning. I put my guitar on my bed and rolled on my stomach to reach my phone. I looked at the caller ID and did not hesitate to pick up.

"Hey! Vampire friend. "I greeted with a smile on my lips as I kept my position on my stomach and lifted my legs to cross my ankles in the air.

"Elena is gone," Stefan said, not bothering with an introduction and my smile fell into a frown in his dreary voice. Just at the same moment, I heard the door slam coming from the floor below followed closely by Elena's fulminating steps.

"I can see that," I assured myself, glancing over my shoulder at my closed door. "What happened? ''

"Damon attacked Zach earlier," He explained, and I immediately stared into concern.

'' Oh my God. Is he okay? " I came up, straightening up quickly on my elbows.

"He's fine but I was late by an hour and had to lie. Again. "Assured Stefan returned before resuming his sullen tone and I wrinkled my lips in sympathy. "She didn't believe me, then there was this man. He recognized me. "

I frowned at this and took off my cell phone to look at it, puzzled before putting it back in my ear."Uh ... I'm a little confused here. What is the problem with a man recognizing you? ''

There was a long silence through the phone and I thought Stefan hung up. Since he did not breathe it was more difficult to know if he was still there.

Finally, a creak appeared before Stefan resumed the conversation. "Mila. He recognized me ... from 1953. ''

'' Oh. Oh! "I was staring into shock." Oh! I understand better."I said, lowering my voice before resuming an alarmed expression." Wait, Elena was there? ''

'' Yes. She was totally panicked. "

There was a silence to that as I looked down at my Lila-colored blanket and I wrinkled my lips in thought. I could not leave that like that. I had to find a way to reconcile these two. After all, it was my role to support my friend. The more I thought and the more an idea began to form in my head. I straightened up from my bed and made sure that Stefan was still on the other end of the line.

"Maybe I have an idea," I said ecstatically as I made my way to my door and poked my head to see if the way was clear.

"Mila. What are you talking about?" I heard Stefan at the other end and brought the cell phone back to my ear.

'' Hold on!''

I ran down the stairs four at a time and went straight for the kitchen. I immediately moved to the refrigerator and inspected the ingredients needed to complete my idea. Once I had checked everything, I looked around to see if I was alone and brought the phone back to explain my idea.

'' Mila? Mila? Are you-" I heard Stefan hailing frantically and I rolled my eyes with a playful smile.

'' Calm down, vampire boy.'' I mocked before leaning back on the island.''You remember when I told you that you were the best cook, I knew when you got me cooked this parmesan chicken which happens to be Elena's favorite dish too. "

I was hoping he would take the hint of my understatement but was still too subtle.

"Mila, seriously? What does this have to do with my problem with Elena?" He asked a little bored slightly with what he thought was a waste of time and I rolled my eyes incredulously.

I really had to do everything.

"That's all, my friend," I insisted before sighing audibly, "Listen, just bring your angel's head and I'll explain it to you when the time comes."

'' Mila ... ''

"Right now, Stefan." With that, I hung up with a smile to my ears and shook my head maliciously.

Now, I had only to wait and the turn would be played. It seems like I did not have to wait a long time as Stefan popped up in front of the back door onto the kitchen with a puzzled look. I gave him access to the house with a smile and closed the door behind him.

'' Mila, what are we ... ''

"Shhhhh!" I hissed, bringing my finger to my lips with a frown, bored and Stefan seemed more lost. I rolled my eyes and pulled him with me for the fridge. "You have everything you need to prepare a parmesan chicken. Start cooking, I go down with the Beauty. ''

"How will that help me with Elena?" He whispered to match my tone before frowning. "Did you really make an amalgam of Elena with Belle of Beauty and the Beast? ''

I rolled my eyes in impatience and broke my bored look on him. "She wants to get to know you, right?" He nodded slowly. "Well, show her the real Stefan. Minus part, argh and fangs, etc.'' I was going back to look for Elena when I turned around with a teasing smile. '' Avoid acting like a beast.''

I made my way to the stairs as I heard him growl at my remark and went upstairs laughing, amused. I could hear the muffled murmurings coming from Jeremy's room and I winced in disgust before knocking on Elena's door and making my way inside. I could not help but roll my eyes as I found her lying on her bed in such a dramatic way and assailed me on the edge of her bed, challenging her.

'' What?" She broke my mocking look and I rolled my eyes.

I got up on my feet and grabbed her hand making her frown, confused. Now, I began to get impatient.

She grabbed that as she got up and I dragged her down the stairs. I let go of her arm again and Elena turned to me with one eyebrow raised, totally lost.

"Mila, what's going on?" She asked more annoyed than anything else, and I rolled my eyes again, indicating the kitchen with a nod, insisting.

She resisted a little longer but eventually ended up going to the kitchen. I could hear the muffled voices of Elena and Stefan making me smile in satisfaction.

Everything was based on Stefan now.

I went back to my room and rested on my bed with a smile. I had never done this kind of thing before, but I had to admit that it was rather pleasant. Act all friendly and help a friend.

I closed my eyes with that last thought and let myself be engulfed by the dreams of my sleep.

* * *

Why I was here in the first place was just completely absurd for me. I walked through most of the high school cheerleaders who were dressed in a simple swimsuit and avoided with increasing irritation the jets of water on my way. I was going to kill Felix for forcing me to come. Speaking of the boy, I found him not far away.

I could only smile at the sight of him, flirt with one of the drivers of a car he had washed, and I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning against one of the posts to watch the scene.

"Nice outfit." A familiar voice suddenly appeared at my side and I jumped into a heart attack before glaring at him.

"I thought we'd talked about that," I grumbled, narrowing my eyes at Stefan as he laughed silently,"You look so happy to me."

I frowned at his constant smile and returned to my observation of Felix's flirtation, which was failing miserably for the moment.

"Thank you," Stefan said as he pulled me out of my stupor and I turned to him with a raised eyebrow, confused. "For what you did with Elena. I owe you.''

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head, "Please. I did it for me. What's the point of having a friend who is even more depressed than I am? ''

Stefan's laughter was almost instantaneous as he looked at me with amusement obviously not believing my words and I rolled my eyes but still left a smile on my lips. It was just stronger than me. When I was with him, I felt much more relaxed and knew that I could act as my true self.

"Speaking of Elena. Where is the beauty ? "I asked, looking over my shoulder for the brown head but could not find it anywhere.

'' I don't really know. The minute she oversaw the crate and the second after, she was gone." He answered with a worried frown.

"I'm sure Miss Old Blood Pouch has again requisitioned her." I reassured myself quickly, my tone sarcastic as my eyes rolled and Stefan narrowed his forest orbs on me in disapproval. '' What? '' New disapproving look.'' Ok! Maybe I was a little mean about her, but it was not like that, I was going to join the favorite puppet club of your dear brother psychopath. "

Stefan was probably going to lecture me when suddenly a fire spread out of nowhere and engulfed the car of one of the cheerleaders. As if Stefan knew what was going on, he immediately started running at full speed towards ... Bonnie? I did not even notice it at first but now that I was paying attention, she seemed in a sort of trance. I watched as Stefan caught her by the arm and shook her with astonishment before opening her eyes wide in disbelief. As soon as Bonnie came out of her trance, the flames immediately stopped as if they had never been there in the first place and I knew I must look totally bewildered. Bonnie and Stefan exchanged some heated words, but I was too far away to hear anything.

"Hey, did you see that thing?" Felix came over by me, making me jump as I came out of my stupor." It's as if it never happened. "

"I ... uh ... yeah." I swallowed, shaking my head confused and slightly panicked by Felix's questions, and looked at him to see that he stared at me suspiciously, "Yeah, weird."

"Do you know who else is strange?" He snapped, turning to me with his arms folded over his chest and I raised a questioning eyebrow."You act secret and frankly, I thought it was cool at first, but now it just gets boring. ''

I flinched instantly in the slight panic and looked everywhere except at him. '' Pff! I'm not secret. ''

I did not know how I could get out of it this time. I could not tell him the truth. Well, because there was a risk that he would not believe me and send me to an asylum or he would become totally insane and that would take him to an asylum. In both cases, it was bad.

'' See this reaction?" Highlighted Felix, narrowing his eyes at me in irritation." You look away, scoffing at a defensive gesture. This is a sign that you are lying, Mila. "

Now I was completely panicked. I started looking for help in Stefan's person, but found that he had just left. The pressure was getting stronger and I could feel my nerves twisting in anxiety.

"And if you let me go with that." I exploded in too much stress and immediately regretted when Felix widened his eyes in shock before taking a furious expression.

'' You're right. You just must stay with your new creepy best friend."He broke coldly with resentment and I crossed my arms over my chest.

"You know what?" I replied disdainfully, pointing at him, "I think that's what I'm going to do."

''Fine! "Supported Felix in a blazing burst.

''Fine! '' I said, turning to go back to my SUV.

Felix turned back in the opposite direction and raised his arms to heaven in exasperation. "Perfect!"

"Perfect!" I screamed over my shoulder, alerting some students and slammed my door behind me with rage.

* * *

After my fight with Felix, I drove straight to the house and did not stop ironing our argument. I knew I had fucked but what did you want? I was nil for high pressure situations and I did not know what to do. I did not want to go to his house because ... well, because he was the one who started it all but on the other hand, I knew I was wrong. I was the one who kept the secrets and acted double-faced.  
I'd been pumping up and down in my room since I got home, and I was sure I would soon spread fire if I continued walking the floor like that.

Speaking of fire, I still did not know what happened to the car wash. It was completely unlikely that Bonnie could have been the source of the fire. She had not been closed enough to fire herself and there was no way in hell she had done it by magic.

Wait, by magic?

Oh god, did not tell me that witches existed too, otherwise I was really going to end up in an asylum this time. The vampires were crazy enough so the witches now. And what will it be next time? Werewolves? Yeah, not for me.

And as if all was not already catastrophic enough, I could not have had one shot of Stefan since this afternoon. He was just missing, and I had no idea where he could be. Well, Elena seemed to miss too so if we added two and two. But there was something wrong. Stefan was never unaware of my calls or messages for this fact.

I dropped back in front of the first against my mattress and shouted with all my strength in my covers. I just needed to talk to someone and the only one I could think of was Felix. He was the only one who could make me forget about all his vampire stories and now that I thought about it, that was probably why I did not want to include him in secrecy. It would probably change our whole relationship and I was not ready to lose my new friend. Well, if we were still friends. I had to arrange our friendship. Yes, he had to.

I sat up on my feet, determined and glanced at my window. Great, it was dark. I was debating internally if I had to wait for tomorrow to go to Felix's house tonight. I had to arrange things.

On a whim, I grabbed my hoodie and slipped it over my loose black short-sleeved T-shirt before making my way outside the house. I hurriedly jumped into my SUV and got on the roads of Mystic Falls.

I really had no time to lose so I decided to take a shortcut. If you went by the road of the old cemetery, you could earn a good ten minutes to go to Felix.

From the very beginning of the trip, I was rehearsing what I was going to say to Felix and could not come with one credible lie. I had to think harder otherwise my move would be totally useless.

I looked at the dashboard clock before looking down the road to simply frown at the sight of a bright light from the old cemetery. I thought it might be a group of toxics who were having fun making a fire, but it seemed way too hot. There was a car parked on the side of the road and I was wrinkling my lips, debating what I had to do. I could just go on my way to Felix and fix things or maybe I could check and go to Felix's house afterwards. In both cases, I would go to Felix's house. The real question was if I really wanted to do this back-time.

What if something bad happened and I did not do anything? I could not do that. Not for my own selfishness. I sighed heavily in defeat, shifting gears before slowing down and lined up in front of the truck. I scanned the area and was again challenged by the fire.

He seemed to be getting bigger by the minute. I took my phone which was currently stored in my passenger seat and opened my door before going down to make sure no one was in danger. There was a silence almost too quiet and I could easily hear the crisp leaves under my heavy footsteps. I tightened despite myself, my grip on my cell phone in fear while looking all around me on alert. I made my way to the fire when a strangled whine near the truck called to me. I went immediately into worry and widened my eyes stopping at the sight of a body lying on the ground.

'' Oh my God!" I gasped in shock and fear before closing my eyes tightly and reopening them to find that the body was real. I sighed heavily to clear my panic and could see my hands shaking as I bent my hands outstretched to push back the girl's hair. "Please don't be dead. Don't be dead. Don't be _dead_. "

My whispers were barely audible as I pushed back the girl's hair to leap back at the sight of her jagged neck. I had once seen such an injury and I knew what it meant.

Vampire.

Just as the word flowed in my mind, footsteps were heard not far from me and I froze in my position.

My hand still tenses towards the girl's body and my eyes wide in shock and now, the fright.

'' Look who to join the party. ''

I stiffened at the voice with eyes wide in shock and panic and turned slowly to find that I was not dreaming.

Damon Salvatore stood there in front of me with his smirk and blood dripping from his chin. I could feel my heart racing in fear and knew I was not going to stay long.

I had already had panic attacks and it must have been the most overwhelming I had. The air was getting out of reach and my lungs were contracting more and more. I finally fainted within a few seconds and barely felt when my head hit the trunk of the truck with a loud, deafening sound at impact and a long trickle of blood along my head.  
I had fallen into unconsciousness at the mercy of a vindictive vampire.

Well shit! I was fucked!

* * *

 **First, really thanks for those who follow this story !**

 **Then if you have the time, please leave a little reviews. It's always a boost for my writing :)**

 **Xxo my friends.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Sucker for pain

_**Chapter six : Sucker for Pain**_

 _ **POV Damon**_

Well, that he had not planned.

He looked at the frail body lying unconscious on the floor next to the girl Donovan and arched his head to the side in thought. It was almost too good to be true. The universe served him little girl Gilbert on a tray. He would never have thought it would be so easy to get revenge against his brother, but it would seem so.

He was going to recover her body later.

For now, he had a buffet to clean. He returned to the many corpses of teenagers he had left on his way the minute he had heard the strangled gasps of the little brunette. He piled the corpses on top of each other before gauging them in thought. He needed fuel, he looked around the old tombs still not understanding why teenagers would be so stupid to get banged in an old cemetery.

Ah! That he regretted the old days when the teenagers were much more fearful and made his exits worthy of a good horror movie.  
A bottle of alcohol caught his eye and he went for the bottle before taking a swig and pouring the liquid on the corpses.

He could hear Mila's gentle breaths not far from him and he returned to her body lying on the ground. He watched her a little longer than he should and could not help but notice how young she looked. Her face bearing the weight of mourning and that constant pain was now, peaceful.

He remembered the first time he had met her. He had forced her to tell him how broken she was, and he still did not know why but he wanted to know the reason. He always wanted to know why.

That night, he had taken her back to her porch where she had cried all the way to his shoulder despite her sleepy state and he could not help but find himself in her. It had been a long time since he felt himself broken because of Saint Stefan.  
The simple thought came out of his observation and he leaned over the body of the little girl before lifting it on his shoulder and carried it to the red SUV that he knew belonged to her. He felt the pockets of her jacket for the keys, but suddenly a thud knocked at him.

He glanced at the floor, still holding it at arm's length, and found that she had to drop her cell phone. He stooped to pick it up for later and searched the pockets of her jacket for her keys again. He could feel the warmth of her little body emanating through her clothes and his gaze fell on her exposed carotid. He could just take a bite. She had looked succulent and it would not hurt anyone. Well. Except for Stefan. He was sure it would piss him down and well beyond. No! Where was the interest in all this? He could take a bite of little Gilbert when she was awake. It would be all the more entertaining.

After finally finding her car keys, he opened the rear door and put her on the back seat and then went back to the phone of little Gilbert.

Fortunately for him, she had let it unlock and seemed to have several missed calls and message from his dear little brother but also from this little human who had openly hit on him. He had never been gay, but it was amusing to see the look of terror on Gilbert's face as he flirted back.

Searching in the last missed calls, Damon dialed his little brother's number. He waited for two tones before his brother's relieved voice was heard making him smile to his ears. Oh, he really did not know what was waiting for him.

"Oh god thank you, Mila!"Sigh Stefan in relief." Damon broke free. You must…''

"A little too late, little brother," Damon evil laugh could be heard, though Stefan could not see him.

"Damon! "Hailed Stefan in shock before quickly resuming." What did you do to her? I swear, if-''

"I want my signet ring," Damon interrupted, rolling his eyes at his empty threats and making his way back, telephoning his hand to the corpses.

"Where is Mila? " Barked Stefan coldly even though Damon knew he must be panicked beyond that." "Where are you?"

"I'm at the restaurant. I opted for the buffet." Damon replied knowing that this would probably lead Stefan to a syncope and lit the corpses with a lighter." Where's my ring? "

''I don't have it. Where are you? What did you do?"Stefan asked by the minute." What did you do to Mila? ''

Damon frowned, becoming more and more annoyed by this unproductive conversation. "What did _you_ do? It was you who sequestrated me in the cellar and starved me. So, whatever I did and whatever the amount of blood I could swallow, it's your fault, buddy."

''Tell me where is Mila?" Stefan demanded, making Damon roll his eyes again.

''Whoa, brother! I didn't know you were on both Gilbert's,"He snickered darkly, smiling cynically."Is Elena aware? "

'' You're imprudent! '' Exploded Stefan, exasperated. '' How many attacks will people here still believe? ''

"I know how to clean up behind me, Stefan." Damon replied, bored, taking another sip of alcohol,"Where's my signet ring?"

"I asked Zach to hide it." Damon stiffened at this and he could hear his younger brother's condescending tone through the cell phone."Maybe you should not have killed him eventually."

'' Oh! " Damon whispered, looking straight ahead in slight concern before rolling his eyes at his brother's bluffing vein."You nearly got me. Where is it?''

"I'm going to get it back, but I need some time and I want Mila."Asked Stefan, exasperating Damon.

'' Why? Did you send it to Rome or what? Where is it?"Damn sarcastic Damon." Give me back my ring! Or will my next step be Elena's house? "

"I'm already dreaming of being rid of you. So, don't give me a reason to rush your death."Stefan said darkly, exacerbated.

Damon could almost hear his chest scolded at his threat and broke his gaze in front of him by tightening his hold on the cell phone.

'' And you, don't give me one more to tear you apart.''Warned Damon in turn.'' Also, I still hold precious Mila, so I would be expressly kind to me, little brother. ''

"Touch her and you'll never see your ring again." Stefan stepped up, reaching Damon's patience limit at this point.

"Find it. " He ordered, annoyed and hung up, furious.

Damon put the phone in the back pocket of his jeans and turned his head to Donovan's dead body. She really had no luck. Cross his path, three times in a row. It was as if fate wanted her dead. Well, now it was done.

He stepped forward, bottle in hand and began to pour the liquid over her to do like other corpses when suddenly, she straightened up in a hopeless leap and gasped for the air with eyes wide in terror. Damon raised a pensive eyebrow as he stopped pouring the alcohol and leaned over the brunette to look at her in thought. She was jittery and panting for the air.

"You really don't want to die, you, huh." Damon said nonchalantly with a wicked edge in his voice at the thought.  
"Ah ..." Donovan moaned in a strangled groan.

* * *

 _ **POV Mila**_

The first thing I knew when I came back to consciousness was that I was in a lying state. I could feel an object pouting and comfortable under me and could extend my legs then came the throbbing pain to my forehead. I felt like I had been under a steamroller and a jackhammer was banging against my head.

I beat my eyelashes a few times before fully regaining consciousness and immediately brought my hand to my forehead to whistle in pain.'' Oh ... hum. ''

"Good morning, sleepy head!" Hail, a mocking voice all too familiar. "I really thought I should give you my blood too."

I stared in recognition and suddenly jumped to my feet just to fall back on what I supposed a sofa in a dizziness.

'' Whoa! Whoa! Take it slow!" Damon ordered in an unusually soft voice, "You hit your head pretty well yesterday."

I sank into the seat to escape the vampire as much as possible and brought my hand to my forehead to see that there was dried blood and I broke a cold look on Damon.

'' What did you do to me?"I angrily accused and stiffened when he rose from his place.

"Get the claws back." Damon warned mischievously, narrowing my eyes at him in exasperation."First, I didn't do anything to you. You hit yourself alone. Then I would be very careful if I were you. You helped Stef to shut me up but you're still alive so don't test my patience. "

I openly flabbergasted. "Alone. And you really expect me to believe you? ''

"Believe me, if I hurt you it wouldn't be here that I hit." His eyes drifted to my bare neck and I realized that I was only in T-shirt and my jeans as well than my doc Martens.

"Where is my jacket?" I said, glaring at him.

There was all my stuff inside and especially my phone ... oh my phone! I remembered now. The mission for Felix, the road to the cemetery, the fire then ... the corpse. I widened my eyes in panic and looked up to look at Damon in awe.

''Vicky! You killed her."I poked in shock and just then steps from the stairs were heard.

'' Oh, this shower made me crazy."Exclaimed a familiar voice and I broke my attention towards the opening of the parlor in the expectation. Groans were heard from the corridors before a half-naked Vicki entered the living room slightly disoriented. '' What did you give me? And what does Jeremy's mute twin do here? ''

I rolled my eyes to her name and could not believe she was still alive. It was the second time she had met Damon. Either she really was out of luck, so she was really looking for death. But she had a point, I did not know what I was doing here, or why.

'' Some blood. You loved that."Damon replied nonchalantly, making my nose cringe in disgust as he got closer to Vicki." And she's my way of pressing."

I broke my gaze in panic and exasperation at Damon and shook my head as I closed my eyes in the hope that the headache would leave.

It was just unbearable.

'' Seriously?"Vicki commented incredulously before frowning and I raised my eyes to the celling."Hold on, I don't understand. How did we get here? "

Yeah, absolutely right to talk to a sick psychopath who just told you that he gave you his blood.

To say that Jeremy was madly in love with her. I really did not understand what he could find for her. As much as I never hated people, I had felt these new rages of fury since Damon had brought me out of my stupor and I could not do anything to stop them. I watched helplessly as Damon looked into Vicki's eyes and knew what he was doing. He hypnotized her. At that, my eyes immediately fell on my hand and were more than relieved to find my ring still on my finger. It was already more reassuring even if I would probably not be a real obstacle that he removed me.

'' I found you in the forest. You were drunk. I attacked you. Then I killed all your friends and I brought you back here. I gave you blood, and you loved it. And now we're off to party until sundown." Damon explained in such a casual tone before ending up in a cheerful tone and I could not help but feel nauseated.

He had killed all this teenagers and Vicki would certainly be dead if she did not have that irrational need to cling to life. He had no consideration for human life. As much as I felt safe with Stefan, I felt in danger alongside Damon and for a reason. I realized for the first time that Stefan and he were not human. They were no longer human. They were vampires.

Vicki seemed to come out of her stupor and act under duress."Okay! But before I can still have a dose?" I widen my eyes to the brunette in disbelief and could not believe the next words coming out of her mouth." The blood you gave me was excellent. "

"Only if, I have mine." Swap Damon, playful before bringing his wrist to his lips and let his veins come out just like his fangs before biting into it.

I stood up, horrified as Vicki and Damon bit into each other's wrists and seemed to really enjoy the moment.

'' Ew! I'm going to throw up! "I murmured as I made my way out.

I was almost at the grand Salvatore door when Damon suddenly appeared right in front of me, blood still flowing on his chin. I took a step back instinctively and could feel my heart pounding in the slight panic.

"Let me go, Damon." I commanded, trying to look strong even though I was totally weak inside.

I walked around to reach the handle when I was suddenly grabbed by the arms and my head slammed against the door as he pushed me against it with his hand around my neck. I widened my eyes, feeling impoverishment in the air and as the last time was trying to act so calm even if my mind screamed at me to fight.

"I don't think I told you, you could leave." Damon said coldly, keeping his firm grip around my neck.

"Let-let me go, Damon." I exhaled, between breaths.

In a fraction of a second, I felt his hand leave my neck for my arms and the minute that followed I found myself thrown on the couch where I had been sitting previously. I felt as if my head was going to explode and coughed while taking a short breath while rubbing my neck aching. I could feel the tears forming in the back of my eyes and had to do everything to keep them from casting. There would be no way I would give him this satisfaction. I was not so weak.

'' What's your problem?" I exploded, still rubbing my neck and he turned to stare at me silently.

"You're my way of pressing and until I get my ring back, you will not get out of here." He replied without an ounce of remorse or even real emotions and I would be fists in the air 'exasperation.

So that was what he wanted. His daylight rings.

Stefan had explained to me their use and having been part of the plan to lock Damon, I knew it was Stefan who had hid it. Although I don't know where, because he was too scared that Damon could use me if I knew where it was. Figure, that his precautions were finally useless.

I leaned down with a deep sigh on the couch and looked at the ceiling of the Salvatore boarding house. I did not even know where Zach was, and I doubted he would be really helpful anyway. No. All I had to do was wait for Stefan to give in to Damon's blackmail, which I knew he would probably do and stay here. I hated feeling so weak and trapped. I had the impression of having to play the girl in distress and it really was not my scene.

The room was so quiet that I thought Damon had left but a glance in front of me was enough to remind me that he was still there. He wore as usual a black shirt and black denim and black shoes. His back was facing me, and he had a glass of what I supposed was whiskey in his hand.

Then, Vicki resurfaced completely euphoric and went straight for the stereo. The music blasting through the stereo was soon resonating throughout the house and I could feel my headache worsen. If I had to stay here all day, it was out of the question for me to stay with them. I got up from my seat and made my way out of the living room just to be stopped by Damon again.

I sighed heavily in boredom and looked up to look at him."Relax, I will not leave. I'm just going as far from you as this house allows me. "

His bluish orbs were focused on me and only on me in an indescribable expression and I could not help feeling uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. I frowned at the sensation and circled him in a new attempt. I was slightly surprised as he did not stop me this time but was soon again focused as I made my way up the stairs.

I knew that Stefan always kept some medicine in his medicine cabinet in his bathroom, even if he did not need it. I quickly made my way to his room, knowing the journey by heart now and walked straight for his bathroom. I opened his closet and started looking for pain relief. I needed it. I felt like a mess, not only inside but outside too. My eyes fell on his bathtub with envy and I could not help but hear the call of a hot bath. My clothes were still covered in dirt and I was sure my blood had mixed in my hair.

After a last check on the activities of the floor below, I locked the door and dusted off all my clothes before plunging into the offering that was the bath. The heat of the water enveloped me like a cocoon and I let myself relax completely. The baths have always been a good antidepressant and have always been. I closed my eyes holding my breath before immersing myself completely under the water.

The sounds were all muffled, my heart beat faster and the water covered me completely. I could feel my long brown hair rubbing against my face and continuing to keep my eyes closed.

Finally, the survival instinct took over and I resurfaced with a long breath and looked around. I rubbed the soap from my eyes before pulling my hair out of my face. I stayed a little longer before going out and wrap one of the towels available around my frail but still athletic body. I passed my head through Stefan's bathroom door to his room and made sure I was alone before going to his wardrobe of clothes. Mine was totally out of order and I knew it would probably not bother him if I borrowed a simple T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants.

I slipped the pants underneath my towel before dropping it on the floor and quickly putting on the T-shirt. I ran my fingers through my tangled hair and loosened the knots in silence. The bath had somehow given me a semblance of rest and the painkillers were starting to work.

I looked at Stefan's awakening to see that I was far from that damn hell. I could just as well take care of it. I made my way to the door of Stefan's room and ran my head down the halls for any sign of Vicki and Damon.

When I saw that the way was free, I went quickly to their library and closed the door behind me. I passed by the huge shelves filled with old books, mostly first edition and could not help but shake my head in disbelief. All this was still completely crazy for me. Vampires. The eternal life and now, I found myself hostage to one of them.

I snaked the rows of books, distractedly dragging my fingers on the backs when one of them interrupted me. I stopped in my step and pulled the book with the greatest care. I looked at the book with complete admiration and slight apprehension. I knew this book very well.

Not only for having read a good dozen times but because he was also the favorite of mom. She had made it known to me and since then it had become mine as well. I realized that I had the original in my hands and knew that I could not sit there without reading it. I quickly took the book carefully and went straight for one of the old-style seats and settled on it. I stomped my foot under me and bent my other leg in front of me. I leaned my elbow on the armchair and soon immersed myself in the universe, violent, romantic, delirious and morbid Wuthering Heights.

I had always loved the character of Heath Cliff probably because he was the one whose pain was most often returned and could easily understand these feelings of betrayal and pain about Catherine. Their relationship was just one of the most complicated I knew and the passage where they dedicated their love to each other on Catherine's death bed was just magical. It was probably one of the best love novels of the time, despite the recurring theme of violence and cruelty.

I was so engrossed in the world of the book that I did not even hear when Damon entered the library and walked straight to me as he weighed the book I held in my hands with curiosity.

"You're missing the whole party." Damon's boring voice popped in and I had to do everything I could to avoid the sudden interruption.

Despite myself, I held my fingers around the work in irritation and concentrated on the pages to disregard his presence. If I did not know him then maybe I said, he would leave without a word.

But of course, it was bad to know him as I heard him sit on one of the sofas in front of my chair and noticed for the first time since he was there that we were both. Honestly, finding myself alone with Damon was by far what I wanted. That did not inspire me any good, and it was not just because he was a totally psychopathic sick vampire, no.

The last time I was alone with him, I spoke again before falling into a dark abyss, reducing myself to a catatonic state for a whole week.

I continued reading in an almost uncomfortable silence and turned a new page, glancing to see that Damon was still in the room and he seemed to be watching me all the way. The exasperation crawled along my arms and I could feel the sparks of annoyance tingling on the pads of my fingers.

'' So what?" I could not take that piercing look anymore."Are you going to keep watching me as a sick stalker?"

'' Are not you a little young to read this kind of book?" He wondered, his tone more curiosity than real concern and I rolled my eyes as I continued reading.

"I'm sixteen and skipped a class." I said, my tone flat as I kept my eyes focused on the page. '' I think I'm old and logical enough to understand this book. ''

"Hum." Hummed Damon, forcing me to lift my eyes from the book and see that he was now, the shirt open, exposing a series of perfectly trimmed abs and I quickly looked away, swallowing embarrassed.

It did not go unnoticed by Damon as a smirk graced his lips in mischief and he leaned forward to pull my book out of his hands.

"Damon! '' I exclaimed, annoyed by his habit of stealing my stuff

I stared at him, outraged as he carelessly tossed the book on the table as he had no value and rested my eyes on him crossing my arms on my chest in exasperation.

'' And then, what now?" I was waiting expectantly.

I regretted it from the moment the words left my lips like a gloomy and facetious glow flickered into Damon's icy orbs and found myself immediately transported to vampire speed in the living room on the floor below. He released me, leaving me faltering at the speed and it was at that moment that I noticed Vicki dancing and rolling on the ground like a real drug addict, making me wince. I was going to give him a piece of my mind this time and no matter, if he could break my neck in a snap.

Only when my eyes fell on him, I could feel the redness rising to my cheeks and a strange sensation churning in the hollow of my belly.

Damon was there, his torso perfectly carved, exposed to the sight of all by his open shirt and a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He looked away from the crazy Vicki to plunge his mesmerizing gaze into mine and I could not help but jump in embarrassment before quickly turning my eyes away.

"I completely forgot about Tyler, completely. I knew from the beginning that all he was interested in was my ass. But I told myself that if he learned to know me. He would see something else. He would realize that I am more than that. But no ... "RantVicki as she swayed through the curtains and rolled back onto the floor making me look at her incredulously." Jeremy, on the other hand, has never seen anything else in me except what I-I really am and that ... I love it. "

I exhilarated at the mention of my twin and narrowed my eyes on the brunette with irritation. It was already hell to be locked up with these two and I could not stay longer if she was planning to talk about my brother.

My glamor did not go unnoticed by Damon as he smiled as he took a sip of his alcohol. "Jeremy. Hey!" He gave me a mocking look before turning to Vicki." Mila's twin? "

I broke my eyes on him and wanted more than anything to tear his head from his body. He was just the most execrable man I knew, and I hated it even more to feel this tumble inside my stomach at the sight of his naked torso.

Damn it, he could not wear a closed shirt like everyone else. It had been quite embarrassing to see Felix undress in front of me but that was even worse.

Speaking of Felix ... Ew! I was supposed to go to his house yesterday. He probably hated me right now and he did not even know where I was. Nobody knew it. Aunt Jenna was going to faint when she found out. Well, if she had not already discovered it in this case, she would already be calling the sheriff's office to look for me. I was just so fucked when I was going home.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I only caught the end of Vicki's diatribe."Why don't you have a girlfriend? You're pretty cool and super sexy."

I rolled my eyes in exasperation and sighed heavily as I walked to the couch before sitting on it with a scowl. I was sure that if I tried to make my way upstairs again, Damon would stop me and force me to stay. I did not know why he wanted my presence since I was not really a big company for him, but I really could not do anything about it.

"Yeah ... I know." Damon agreed, sarcastically with an arrogant eyebrow as he stepped toward Vicki, avoiding the sun's rays, and I was dying to fuck him in the head.

"Are not you going to fall in love?" Vicki asked in a stupid discussion and I could not help but look at Damon expectantly.

I knew Katherine's story unlike Vicki and knew that Damon, although it was almost improbable to me, had not always been like that.

"I was in love once." Damon said seriously, putting his bottle on the table. "It hurts. It's useless and very overrated. "

Then, he grabbed Vicki's arm and turned her in a dance step before she dragged him around me and the couch where I was like real kids.

"Said the vampire without emotions." I whistled between my teeth and stared straight ahead in annoyance as I knew he could hear me.

I could feel Damon's look at me as Vicki agreed. "Yeah. Except when it's worth it. "

"No more gossip!" Damon ordered as he stopped right in front of me and Damon lifted Vicki into the air before leaving her down, "Head to the dance!"

I watched as Damon swung his hips sensually and rubbed at Vicki before disappearing at the speed of the vampire to appear again on the railing of the floor above completely ignoring Vicki's presence.

I widened my eyes in disbelief and soon looked away as he continued to jiggle from left to right. My eyes fell on Vicki, who danced enticingly and challenged Damon with her hands. I had really finished watching this silly show.

I got up from my seat and started to make my way to the floor when I felt two cold hands encircle my waist and swing my hips from right to left. I stiffen immediately to the touch in surprise and embarrassment before frowning and turn around simply to be closer to the bare chest of Damon. He held me tight against him and I could not deny the sensations that ran through my teenage hormonal body. I had never been so close to a man before, but I could say it was hot, very hot. I tried to get hold of him, but Damon put his finger under my chin and looked up, so I could look at him. He smiled like a Cheshire cat and I swallowed in the slight panic.

'' Damon ... ''

'' Shhhh!"Damon interrupted me, in a cheerful voice before turning me in a circle and I could not stop the spreading smile on my lips." Have fun! "

It was nice if we forgot the person I was dancing with. He pulled me with him in the halls of the pension and I caught myself dancing to the rhythm of the music blasting through the stereo.

Vicki followed us as we climbed the stairs without ever stopping to dance and I turned my hands around when suddenly Damon pulled me into Stefan's room. My smile fell as soon as they started throwing all his belongings on the floor and ransacked half of his room. I knew it would not last long. When I thought I was being dragged into their stupid dance.

I knew I could not do anything to stop them, so I just walked to Stefan's bed and lay down on the bed and waited until they had finished their mess. The sound of glass was heard, and I just straightened to see Damon bypass the sun's rays and wink at me in his path. Then, I narrowed my eyes to him as he seemed frozen in place in front of Stefan's desk and lifted a paper with the most emotional look, I had seen on him. I stood up, hesitating, and cautiously made my way to him and immediately seized when I saw the picture in his hands.

The resemblance between Katherine and Elena shocked me every time. When Stefan explained that to me and showed me the picture, I was speechless. They did not share only the same color of hair or eyes. They were exactly the same. An identical replica of Elena except with the vintage clothes.

I took my eyes off the picture to rest on Damon and found him already stared at me as he was waiting for me to go totally hysterical at the sight of the photo.

Instead, I surprised myself as I raised my hand and put it on Damon's hand holding the photo. I could see him stiffening with a simple gesture and I quickly withdrew my hand with a clumsy throat clearing before making my way back to Stefan's bed. I avoided Damon's piercing gaze and contented myself with looking into the emptiness of thought.

I did not understand where this surge of sympathy came from, but I knew it should never happen again.

The music changed to a softer song and I watched as Vicki and Damon engaged in a slow dance. Strangely, Vicki started to cry over Damon's shoulder and I could not help but feel pity for the girl.

"My mother is never home. She spends all her time in Virginia Beach with Pitt. He's on the road."She explained, sniffing her tears." I don't remember my father very well, but from the few memories I have, it's not worth it to remember him. ''

"You really have a miserable life." Damon commented without an ounce of tact, and I broke my glare at him.

He was really the worst person ever to listen to people. At the same time, I should have known. There was nothing human about him. Only, the darkness and the pain left by the years of miserable eternity.

"Yeah. '' Vicki acquiesced miserably before resuming. '' And I'm the lamest of the two. Matt, he is quiet; he is a guy to whom everything is successful. It is true. He will have a scholarship thanks to football. He is getting married to Elena. He will have a lawn mower and lots of babies. When I think of the future, I see a blank page. ''

I kept my gaze on the brunette dancing slowly against Damon and could not help thinking about my future. I did not really know what I wanted to do where even what I would be in a few years. I did not even know if I would be alive in the future.

That's right, with the world I entered, I doubted that my life expectancy was very long. I really had nothing to do where to bring. I may still be young, but Elena already knew she wanted to follow in my dad's footsteps when I did not have a vision for the future. I was content to live by day, day, and hope that tomorrow would be less painful than the days before. It might be dark for a girl, but it was my reality. I stopped living when my parents were dead, and I was not the same since. Part of me had gone with them and would be gone forever.

I was so lost in my dark thoughts that I had disregarded my surroundings until a dry snap followed by a thudding noise beckoned me and I turned my head towards the duo just to widen my eyes in the shock at the sight of Vicki's body on the floor, her neck in an unlikely angle.

"Oh my god!" I cried, running to Vicki's side, but it was too late. I looked up at Damon who seemed barely shaken and broke my hateful look on him, "You killed her."

'' Please. She had a miserable life."He declared impassively and without any hint of compassion as he continued to test the sun's rays against his skin, burning him every time.

I really did not know what had gone through my mind as I jumped up and headed straight for him before I raised my hand to slap him as hard as I could.

The sound of my hand meeting his cheek echoed throughout the room as tears had flown down my cheeks and I widened my eyes as I realized what I had done while Damon slowly turned his head towards me with the darkest and coldest look, I had ever seen.

I did not even have time to say something like in a split second, he was holding my neck in the air and I had to struggle with all my strength to breathe. He took a quick step, tightening his grip at each step as if my body weighed barely heavier than a feather before throwing me violently on the wall.

I had never been so scared of him until now and I sincerely thought it was going to be my end. He was going to kill me like he had killed Vicki and I would be one more in his long list of victims.

At this point, I began hyperventilation and felt the lack of air obstructed my trachea and then my vision and finally my brain. I knew I had more than a few seconds before I would run out of oxygen and succumb to the limbo of death when suddenly, a strangled gasp caught Damon's dark look over his shoulder and he let go of me like a vulgar bag.

I fell to the ground like a rag doll with a deafening sound at the impact of my body against the ground and lay there, coughing all I could to take back the air that had been deprived me and looked astonished like Vicki stood up as if nothing had been while rubbing her neck with a painful grimace.

'' What happened ? '' She asked, disoriented. '' We were dancing and suddenly, ... ''

Her gaze fell on me as I lay on the ground without moving and tried to catch my breath.

Each breath was a new wave of pain and I could still feel my pulsed blood under the hematomas that Damon's fingers had caused me. My vision came back slowly, erasing the stars of the way but I remained in this position for fear of crossing the eyes of Damon.

"I killed you." Damon finished for her.

His voice sounding mocking and I could not help but shudder in fear.

He was just about to end my life and was acting like it did not matter. The worst part of all this was just part of me. A deep but there, wanted it to end. That was probably why I had never resisted before. It was not because it gave him satisfaction, no. It was because secretly, part of me, wanted that.

'' Oh! What? "Vicki questioned with a painful frown.

"You're dead." Damon repeated getting more and more bored with all of this, and I shivered again, forcing my arms around me to keep me from sobbing.

"Argh ..." Vicki groaned, frowning, incredulous, "I'm dead."

"Yeah. Well, we're not going to make a big deal of it."Damon said, rolling his eyes bored."You drank my blood, I killed you, and now you have to feed yourself to complete the process."

I widened my eyes in the realization as the memories of my conversation with Stefan surfaced and I tried to straighten up while Vicki stood up staggering.

'' Hum ... you're stoned. Hum! "Vicki groaned staggering into the room in search of her clothes in total disbelief and I got up in my turn avoiding giving a shit about the vampire.

Vicki was in transition and I really had no time to lose with my hypothetical death. I had to go above and focus on urgency. Vicki headed for the exit and I made my way towards her, holding my aching head. My headache was back, and I was having a hard time keeping up.

"In your place, I will not go out alone." Damon's voice came from behind us and I rolled my eyes in exasperation. He was the one who did this to her and he could not act more casual. Suddenly, he appeared in front of Vicki, making her take a step back just like me. "Soon, you'll be in a very scary state."

"Listen, I had a lot of fun, but I want to go." Vicki insisted, becoming irritated by Damon's insistence.

'' Vicki! You can't go out. "I tried to stop her knowing that she could not go out without running the risk of attacking a human being and completing the transition.

"You're going to be thirsty for blood and as long as you're not satiated, you'll be in the gas and you'll have to be very careful." Damon explained, stoic about the whole situation and I broke my blatant gaze on him.

"It doesn't help." I exploded, trying to hold Vicki back, but she pushed me away, almost knocking me down again if it was not for Damon's quick reflexes.

He caught me by the shoulders and I stiffened at his touch. I no longer felt any strange sensations except the fear under his touch now and I disengaged myself quickly by shrugging his touch coldly.

During the short time that Damon had caught me, Vicki took the opportunity to make her escape and I had to run down the stairs to catch her.

'' Vicki! Hold on! You can't go out! "I cried in pursuit, holding Stefan's sweat pants as it descended more and more on my hips.

She wobbled trying to reach the door and Damon's sarcastic voice came from behind me."You see, you're already a human wreck."

"And, I'm going home." Vicki warned as she made her way to the door.

'' Kay! Do as you like. At least I would have warned you."Damon agreed as he opened the door for Vicki under my glare.

I was furiously turning to Damon in a desperate act. '' Do something! She's going to kill someone if she goes out. "

The vampire with jet black hair turned to me and I thought for a moment that he was going to restrain her, but his evil smile grew on his lips and his evil gaze fell on Vicki.

'' Basically, maybe you're right, you should go.'' Admit Damon, giving me a mischievous look. '' In fact, if I were you, I'd go straight to Jeremy at home. ''

I widened my eyes in panic and rushed into a futile race to stop Vicki at the door but she was already walking down the driveway and strong arms wrapped around me preventing me from leaving the house.

'' Let go of me! Let-'' His hand covered my mouth as Vicki evasively accepted the idea and I could feel my heart speeding up in anguish.

"Give my hello to Elena."He said in a falsely cheerful tone. "And if you see Stefan, tell him to call me? "

I struggled with all my might as I watched Vicki's figure fade as she moved forward and Damon pulled me in spite of my struggles in the house, closing the door slowly as if to torture me a little more.

'' No, Vicki! "I was totally despairing as I watched the door close on me, sweeping all my hopes.

"You really don't get the hint, do you?" Damon questioned, annoyed as I continued to struggle against his hold.

He finally let me go once we were in the living room and I immediately flip-flopped by striking him madly on the chest. "She will kill him! All this, don't really mean anything to you? ''

Damon grabbed my wrists in a vise and shook me as he pulled me closer to his chest to stop my cries, to no avail.

Tears had run down my cheeks and I was unable to do anything but argue for my brother's life. Vicki was going to feed on him and she would not be able to stop. She was going to kill him.

"Mila! Stop! Mila! Argh ... "Damon growled, becoming more and more tired of my struggle and he firmly took my chin to make me look at him." Nothing matters to me, understood? Nothing !''

I stared at him in silence, completely speechless by the monster in front of me and tried in vain to digitize his eyes to get a semblance of emotions but it was the truth, he was going to let Jeremy die and I could not do anything to prevent it.

''Why are you doing this to me?" My voice was barely louder than a whisper and I seriously doubted he'd heard me if it was not for his sensitive vampire hearing.

He was still supporting my fists in the air and I knew that if he let me go, I would probably fall to the ground. I was completely frozen as he unfastened his hand from one of my wrists and brought the tips of his fingers to sweep one of my locks from my face, watching me with his frozen orbs. It was just a moment full of tension and unspoken pressure that left me more confused about the subject of the vampire.

Until now, he kept on mistreating me at every appearance, but this simple, gentle gesture seemed unnatural. I did not know what made him do that, but I had never felt so puzzled at the moment.  
Then, as that moment had come suddenly, he disappeared completely from sight leaving me gasped at the breath of air that he left on his way and I brought my hand to my heart, which beat madly against my ribcage.

My hair was still flying in the air as I was looking all around me in search of the vampire but could not find him anywhere near me. I knew it was probably another of those tricks, but I immediately went to Stefan's room and walked straight to the bathroom where my clothes were still stored.

I swapped Stefan's clothes for my jeans and dirt-covered short-sleeved T-shirt and grabbed my Doc Martens in my hands before running down the stairs for the exit. I jumped on one foot after another while putting on my boots when something on the living room table caught my eye.

I rested my foot on the ground giving suspicious glances around me before making my way hesitating towards the middle of the living room. My gaze widens in recognition at the sight of my leather jacket as well as my cell phone. It was just ... not ... possible.

I turned around, raising my hands up in exasperation, and walked for the exit from the living room leading into the hallway leading to the front door and the stairs to the floor.

"Ok, Damon! '' I cried, my tone frustrated and indignant. '' Very funny. Put my phone here, give me hope for an exit and then torture me better. Ingenious, very sadistic! ''

My cries were still echoing in the boarding house when I realized that I was really alone. Or at least, I thought so. In any case, I was not going to test my chances any longer, I was running straight for my jacket and my phone and ran straight for the exit.  
I was walking as fast as I could to get away from Pension Salvatore and dialed Stefan's number immediately.

I held the cell in my ear becoming more and more impatient with each tone and grumbled in exasperation when I came with voice mail. I reproduced the operation a good dozen times, losing patience and my hope each time.

Finally, I stopped trying and got into a sprint knowing that I had to get home before Vicki. I did not really know what I would do when the time came but I could not leave my twin. Regardless of our relationship, he was always what was left to me at the end. He was the only one who could help me out of my personal hell and I knew it. No matter the desire to die that I felt deep inside me, the desire to protect Jeremy was stronger.

At this point, I was out of breath and could feel my lungs about to burst. My throat was on fire and my legs kept protesting at the sudden exercise. I had never been sporty before and it was felt. The warm up in my thighs was so hot that I felt as if I had done a twenty-kilometer hike without ever stopping.

* * *

After what seemed to be the longest thirty minutes of my life, I could see the formation of the roof of my house and I accelerated the pace to close the distance in some strides. Only to make a stop when I see none other than Vicki making her way running out of the house as if she were running away from something. I stood there, doing nothing, taking my breath away when Matt's screaming desperate me out of my stupor.

I was running the rest of the way to just be greeted by an almost hysterical Elena and a clearly relieved Stefan. I was immediately wrapped in a bear hug by Elena who kept scanning me for any damage and felt her eyes stop on my neck uncovered.

'' Oh my God! "She gasped in shock, which caught Stefan's eye, which seemed to stiffen at sight. A look of anger passed over his face.

"I can find her." He assured himself, turning to Elena about Vicki, and Elena went back and forth between Stefan and me before nodding."Go ahead."

"I'm coming with you." I said out loud, detaching myself from Elena's grip knowing that Stefan must have told her the whole truth now according to the look she had given him and started walking towards Stefan just to be stopped by Elena.

'' What? No! You will not go there. "She objected in a familiar tone of reprimand and I rolled my eyes. "I just found you, Mila."

"Listen." I approached her, and I could see the surprise still written on her face at my retrieved speech. "I was there when Damon turned her up and Stefan was my friend. I would like you to like it or not. "

On this last word, I turned and could see that Stefan was still standing there with a hesitant expression like that of Elena. I shook my head and grabbed Stefan's hand to shoot him quickly with me. It was out of the question for me to let Vicki fend for herself and rip a carotid on an innocent man.

Stefan had transported us immediately to the forest thinking it was the best place to search and we were now walking in the forest leading to the old cemetery. It was a bit ironic that Vicki would like to find refuge here but at the same time, understandably.

Night had fallen on the whole city and I was walking beside Stefan in almost religious silence. I knew that Stefan was beyond edgy and very concerned about the number six frown in Stefan's long frown list but did not really know what to say where to make things right. I mean, I definitely could not reduce Damon from the surface of the earth and that was the only solution that came to my mind right now.

Finally, Stefan was the first to break the heavy silence as he turned to me. '' Mila ... '' A deep sigh of defeat passed his lips and a weak smile of sympathy adorned my lips.

"Don't worry, Stefan. I'm fine."I reassured him, minimizing the pain I felt on my neck. If I had to tell the truth, I would say it hurt like hell but it probably would not be very wise.

"No, Mila! "Suddenly, Stefan exploded, standing in front of me and I could see his eyes fall on my bruised neck." "You're just wrong, though. It's my fault. If I didn't get you involved, Damon will not ... "

"Hey! Hey! "I cut it quickly grabbing his arm to stop him from stimulating. "It was not your fault. I should have known something was wrong when I stopped to check the fire. "

"Exactly, Mila! It's not normal to have to worry about Damon's subterfuges all the time. It's my burden. Not yours." Stefan said, making me take a step back in surprise at his sharp tone. '' Mila ... ''

'' It's good." I interrupted, raising a hand without giving him a look." "Let's just find Vicki."

I was not about to give up on this argument but for now, we had a much more urgent situation. I started walking again just like Stefan and the rest of the search was done silently until a noise came to us. Or rather, asked Stefan.

I looked in amazement as he disappeared, leaving me alone and I searched everywhere to know the meaning he had fled and finally decided on a whim. I started running through the woods, dodging the branches and trunk on my way when a dull sound made me pause in panic. It looked like a shot. I ran faster now and burst across the edge to see that Stefan was on the ground.

My gaze flickered to Stefan and then to none other than Logan Fell, Felix's uncle, and I could see the recognition in his eyes before he raised his weapon for me. I recoiled in fear when suddenly, Damon came out of nowhere and jumped on Logan's neck, dipping his fangs and killing him instantly before my eyes. However, I did not stay long focused on the body of the Fell as I ran alongside Stefan and kneeled to him.

'' Oh my God! Stefan! What can I do?"I asked immediately without even thinking and I could feel Damon's new presence at my side.

"You don't do anything." He said as he plunged his fingers into Stefan's wound, making him groan in pain and pull the bullet away to observe it. "It's wood. They're up-to-date.''

'' Ew! Brut! "I groaned with a grimace of disgust and Damon raised an eyebrow at me before turning his gaze on Stefan.

"If someone is going to kill you, I want it to be me." Assured Damon, making my eyes roll at his Shakespearean air. "My signet rings!"

Stefan pulled the ring out of his pocket with his jeans and was quick to hand it to Damon. The latter greedily took it from his hands before putting it on his finger and watched with vanity the ring made me roll again eyes when a sickening noise of suctions caught our attention.

'' No. Vicky. No."Stefan shouted, horrified as I remained flabbergasted watching the brunette finish her blood sucking transition.

Vicki pulled off Logan's neck, blood dripping from her chin and looking at us with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

Then she got up without even glancing at us and fled, leaving us alone to handle the remains of her dinner.

"Oops!" Damon exclaimed, cynical and I broke my furious glare at him before watching him stand up for Logan's body and take something off the floor before fleeing in his turn.

I put my angry look on Stefan and found him in pain.

I knew that because of his diet, he was healing much less quickly than a normal vampire and if we stayed here then it would give more time for his fighter friends to come and it was out of the question for me to let Stefan.

'' Come! We have to go." I declared, straightening up on my feet before helping him out.

I supported him all the way through the woods and could feel the effort it was making on my body weakened by the lack of nutrition during the last month. I was not as strong as before and could easily feel it. I was trying to ease Stefan's position to the best of my ability and I could feel the least weight on me.

"Mila! Hold on! Wait!" Stefan gasped and I stopped, glancing sideways at him to find him, staring at me with that pensive look that did not inspire me with anything good. '' I am sorry. I-I ... could not. ''

"Hey! I know, Stefan. It's not your fault.'' I assured him, gently looking at him confidently. '' We'll find a way. I believe in you.''

There was a long exchange of tacit eyes between us as he sought sincerity in my eyes and seemed to nod when he found it.

I brought him all the way back to the house and saw Elena already waiting on our porch. At this point, Stefan could be on his own with some difficulty and Elena rushed to him in worry.

''You are bleeding?"She exclaimed with concern and Stefan looked at me before looking at Elena.

''No. It's nothing. It's okay. I'm fine.'' He assured himself quickly before looking down into a pause and I knew what he was going to say. '' Forgive me. I couldn't stop her. I tried … ''

"Hey!" I breathed, taking a step forward and put my hand to his arm with a look of sympathy but his gaze was focused on Elena.

I turned to meet Elena's horrified expression as she took a step back, her gaze falling on me as if she expected me to do the same thing.

"What do I have to understand?" She asked expectantly.

"She fed." Stefan replied, his look sheepish all along as if it was his fault and I could feel the anger resurface. "And I lost track of her."

Elena's eyes widened, dazed and gasped in disbelief. "That's not true."

"I'm going to take care of it." Stefan immediately assured himself taking a step forward. "I'm going to find her, and I'll show her that we can live like myself and I'll make sure she doesn't harm anyone Elena. I promise you that. "

I was ready to help him with that and if that was not enough to reassure Elena, I would do it. She had to trust Stefan. If there was anyone who could help Vicki, it was him. I was convinced of it.

"What am I going to tell my brother?" Elena pops in panic, "And ... and ... Matt?"

"We'll find a story." Stefan answered, hoping to reassure Elena but it had the opposite effect as she frowned and broke her gaze on us.

"A story, you mean a lie." She said in a condescending tone and I took a step forward on the defensive.

"Hey, it's not his fault." I defended without hesitation and saw her eyes widen as she looked at me.

'' Mila, you don't understand, ... ''

"Oh, believe me, Elena, I understand better than you right now." I said coldly, frowning at Elena in my tone.

'' I'm sorry ... Really-'' Stefan apologized, though in my opinion he did not have to and I was focusing my attention on Elena.

She took a step back and looked back at Stefan."I left you the day as you ask me. I understand that you will never hurt me, and I promise never to tell anyone about your secret."She walked with that familiar look, and I knew what was going to follow was anything but good. "But ... I can't stay with you, Stefan. Sorry I can't … ''

With that, she rushed inside the house and slammed the door behind her and I rushed in pursuit.

"Elena!" I stopped at the door, my hand on the handle as I remembered that Stefan was still there and turned my gaze with concern on him.

Indeed, he seemed utterly devastated as tears flowed from his dark green eyes and I took a last look at the hesitant door before I surrendered to him and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

He closed his arms hard on me, accepting my support and I put my head on his chest since he was taller than me and held him in silence.


	7. Chapter 7 : Wild Thoughts

**Chapter seven : Wild Thoughts**

I had been lying on my bed without saying anything and listening. I listened to Elena's continuous crying until she fell asleep.

I knew I should have comforted her in Stefan's place, but he was much easier. Elena and I were no longer on the same wavelength and even if I did not want to admit it, it brought me back to my amorphous state.

With Stefan or Felix, I felt alive again. As if ... like this, I could breathe without feeling this constant pain and had no restrictions to speak. I could say what I wanted when I wanted and not think of my parents. I was aware, it seemed sad not to want to remember his parents, but I could not. Its inflicted pain that I could not bear.

Well, that was what I had been thinking about until sunrise.

Throughout the night, I had been in perpetual debate. Did I stay with Stefan because I was more likely to die before I was eighteen or because he made me feel better than I had ever been in this last months.

To be honest, even after hours and hours of debate, I still did not know where to go. Since Damon had been so close to taking my life away, I could not help but see and feel the feeling of contentment I had felt in the hollow of my chest.

At the mere thought, my fingers flew to my bruised neck and I winced at the pain that a touch gave me. It was even more painful than yesterday but more painful than tomorrow, I suppose. That was what I said to relativize. I assumed that if I saw things in black and gray then it would help me feel better or at least that was what I was trying to convince myself.

I knew that Stefan got Vicki last night, much to my surprise with Damon's help. I was still wondering what he could get by such an act of kindness that did not resemble him and was even more confused about the character that was Damon Salvatore. As much as Stefan was easy enough to read when he let people get close enough, Damon was a kind of complex mystery.

Well, if you asked several people around me, he would probably tell you the same thing about me and they would be right. I was so much more complex and so fucking than anyone, and I did not understand myself. I had just become something different and could not feel like before. The joy had become a simple feeling, pain and sorrow, a full part of my life and sadness was the whole of my vision. I rolled to the side to reach my phone and unlocked the screen, squinting, hesitating.

With the latest events, I could not get a hold of Felix and I really did not know how much he hated me.

In fact, maybe if, with the hundreds of messages he sent me to tell me every time he hated me more and more every minute of every hour, that was pretty clear.

I needed to make an honorable offer of peace with him and I knew I would have to come with an explanation of thunder if I wanted him to accept my apology. I typed a quick text asking him if he was working at the Grill today and waited for the longest minutes of my life in heavy silence.

The more I waited and the more I became slightly agitated, I could not stand on my bed, I needed to move. I had been dressed for over three hours now and had not even bothered to watch what I had taken. I had just gone through my drawers and pulled a black skinny jean cracked on my right thigh and now played with a thread to pass my agitation. I crossed my reflection in the mirror and my eyes were immediately on my neck bruised.

Perfect, Damon! Now I had to wear a scarf!

I grabbed a scarf from my coat rack hanging on the top of my door and slipped it out of my room just to fall face to face with my worst nightmares.

"Elena." I greeted, stiff as I finished tying my scarf around my neck and her sad gaze settled where the hematomas were.

I really did not have time for that this morning, let alone want to have the time. In fact, it was the last thing I wanted.

I stayed a little more in a tense silence before continuing my way through Elena, I knew she wanted to say something. Ask a lot of questions but that was not how it worked. None of this could work. She had made a choice and I respected it, but it was out of the question that I was doing the same. Stefan was one of the most important things in my life now and even though it sounded crazy, it was the reality.

For the short time he had come to town, he had completely changed my vision and I really did not know if I could go back to my life. Or rather wandering. Before he came to town, I was broken, I was still there, but his presence helped me through this pain.  
It was for that reason that I was once again in front of the Salvatore pension, knowing that I could meet Damon again and be plunged again into the dangerous universe brought by the Salvatore brothers with them.

Only, I did not care enough to take this warning into account, I was ready to endure all the situations that would be presented to me if I could feel like I was feeling again with Stefan and maybe even Damon. I may have felt fear ... fear with him but I could feel something else too. He had like his brother, an ability to make me feel more alive and I did not want to lose that.

* * *

I entered the boarding house without bothering to knock knowing that it was still open as usual and now knew that it could not even bother Zach given ...

Yeah, death was not really what I wanted to think now.

I frowned as I made my way up the stairs and immediately headed for Stefan's room.

"Hey, I'm hungry wolf, will not you have something?" I heard Vicki begging and wincing in disgust knowing she was talking about blood. I walked inside, drawing attention to me as Stefan stood with a cup in his hand and headed for Vicki while Damon was sitting, his biker boots raised on Stefan's desk, the morning paper in hand.

"Mila! What are you doing here?" Stefan asked at once with a worried frown as he watched Vicki closely.

"Please," I flinched, rolling my eyes as I made my way to one of the free seats. "You really thought I was going to stay at home when you were baby-vampire-sitting? ''

Vicki broke a shine in my attention while Stefan still seemed as feverish as he was analyzing all of Vicki's reactions and Damon was smiling at his famous smirk.

"You shouldn't be here." Stefan insisted, anxious as Vicki watched the contents of his cup.

"Come on, Stefan! She offers a vein, accept it."Taunted Damon raised his suggestive eyebrows and I broke my already annoyed look at his presence on him.

"But what is it?" Vicki's voice was between a slight disgust and curiosity, making me stare at her perplexed. It was blood, she just had to eat without question.

"That's what you have to eat for." Stefan assured collecting a scoff from Damon almost instantly.

"Oh, what a liar that one. We're so far from it."Damon mocked making me look down at him in irritation and he looked up from... wait, the watch Gilbert." Anyway, for lack of a better, right brother?"

I stood up from my seat, ignoring Damon's sarcastic remark, and walked over to him.

"What is it?" Vicki demanded now, rolling my eyes as I continued my way towards Damon.

Damon smiled bigger now as he knew he had instilled a spirit of doubt into Vicki. '' Ah yes, what is it? Skunk, Saint Bernard, Bambi? "

"Your taunts are getting old, Salvatore." I broke in as I reached him and grabbed the watch from his hands with a cold look. "Where did you get that? ''

'' You know what it is?" Damon asked, straightening up immediately for interest and I frowned, puzzled.

'Well, duh!" I mocked as if it were obvious and I could see him rolling his eyes impatiently. '' This watch has been in my family for generations. It belongs to Jeremy now. "

As I said these words, Damon rose from his place and took the watch from my hands, making my eyes widen in irritation."No more now!"

Then he turned to Stefan and Vicki, keeping his hand in the air, teasing me while I tried in vain to get the watch back. '' She just mutated, he needs human blood, it's not nutritious what you just spun her. ''

"Damon, give me the watch!" I exclaimed in utter exasperation before stiffening myself to Vicki's next question.

"Why am I not entitled to human blood?" I turned around slowly, forgetting the watch, and looked at Stefan anxiously.

"Yes, why?" Damson insisted with a mocking smile, but I was too focused on Vicki to give a shit.

"Because picking on innocent prey is bad, Vicki." Stefan explained, giving me a look, and I could not help but wince.

Yeah, that probably was not going to do it. I even doubted that it was registered in her spirit of addict.

Vicki had already had addiction problems as a human so what would prevent her from having as a vampire? And if I remembered what Stefan had told me, emotions were multiplied when you were a vampire.

"Nothing forces you to kill to feed you." Damon interjected, scary on the whole subject and I could not help the incredulous laughter of leaving my lips, challenging the vampire's eyes on me.

"Frankly, if you really take into account his advice, turn off your humanity right away and go on a rampage of the city." I sarcastically resumed the desk seat where Damon was sitting before and I saw him roll his eyes before turning to Vicki

''Don't listen to her. She's human and dramatic."Damon retorted, giving me an evil look over his shoulder." I say, find someone to your liking, erase his memory, and here it is, it's so easy. "

"Yes, so easy." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes and Damon just shrugged as Stefan rushed to Vicki anxiously.

'' No, no, no, no, no. '' Objected Stefan keenly alert. '' There is no guarantee that you will manage to control yourself and it will take you years to get there. You kill a human easily and you must live with it all the rest of your life which means, to be clear, all eternity. "

"Don't listen to him." Damon demanded. "He has a sense of values that hangs well above the norm. I say to you : you're drinking, you're killing, you're erasing. "

I really did not know how Vicki could not have a headache right now. With these two on her as they were a little devil and an angel on her shoulders. This debate constantly to make her do good or bad. Just looking at them, it gave me a stiff neck.

Stefan broke his angry look at Damon before turning his attention to Vicki knowing that he was losing this argument. "Hey Vicki, look at me. We trace our own path, it is our values and our actions that define who we are. "

"Oh, shut up, the New Age Dracula." Barked Damon clearly exasperated as he made his way out."I'm fed up, bon appetit."

I watched after Damon as Vicki turned to Stefan and asked for a refill. I immediately saw Stefan's eyes on that and I knew it was going to be a lot harder than we had hoped. As we remained in our tacit exchange, the bell rang, and I frowned at the same time as Stefan, perplexed.

Nobody came to the boarding house of the Salvatore, let alone ring.

I looked up to meet Stefan's gaze and he gave me a furtive nod towards the exit before giving another look at Vicki. I put my eyes on Vicki and got up before making my way to the door just like Stefan.

Once we were in the corridors, I turned to Stefan who was walking by my side. '' It will not work. Not if Damon continues to influence her."

"I can't really lock her in one of our cells and wait until she's adapted to animal blood."Suggested Stefan sarcastically, tired and frowning in thought.

"Actually, that might be an idea."I almost enthusiastically agreed, and I saw Stefan's insistent stare on me, making me sigh, "If you don't intend to help, too."

Stefan paused, making me stop by and I turned around knowing that he was probably going to give me some sort of lecture. It was one of his boring features, but I could not really do anything. I knew it was because he felt responsible for Vicki's condition. Even if it really had nothing to do with him if you wanted my opinion.

It was Damon who made her a vampire and Stefan should not have to clean up his brother's mess. Only, if he did not do it then we would probably have a vampire on the loose and that was not possible.

"She's still new to all this but she's entitled to a chance. I can't do that for her."He explained, his forest orbs praying for me to grasp his point of view.

I stared at him indecisively knowing that this was probably a very bad idea but ended up sighing heavily in defeat.

'' Fine. Just ... stop looking at me with those eyes. "I grumbled with a frown as I made my way up the stairs.

I could hear Stefan's silent laugh coming from behind and I deepened my frown in boredom when a voice all too familiar sounded.

'' Stefan? Stefan?" Called Elena, panic and apprehension very clear in her voice.

I was going down to Stefan's side as he made himself known and Elena gasped as she turned around, just to frown at my sight. '' Mila? What are you doing here? ''

"Um ... Stefan is my friend." I replied, raising a confused eyebrow at her question.

"They're vampires." Elena backed up, her lacy tone snarling as I crossed my arms over my chest, arching an eyebrow.

"No kidding." I babbled, shaking my head slightly annoyed.

Elena stared at me almost stunned before frowning again and turned her attention to Stefan,"Where's Vicki?"

"At the stair." Stefan replied, his gaze trailing up the stairs to emphasize his point and I looked back at Elena as she seemed about to have a fit of nerve.

"What are we doing now?" She asked curtly."Because Jeremy just went looking for her with half of the city, what do I tell him?"

'' I dunno. Find a lie."I was demanding, annoyed by her lack of effort in all this." Jeremy is more of a gullible guy, it's not difficult. "

She turned to me, gaping and I rolled my eyes at her expression so dramatic. He was our brother, he was always told lies. I mean, he was my twin and I told him a lot of lies all the time.

Noticing the tension between us Stefan took a step forward. "I explain everything to Vicky but it's going to take time because her versatile and impulsive side has gotten worse with her addiction to drugs and all that has a lot of impact on her how to react to it. "

"Yes, basically it's a vampire who has things to fix?" Said Elena, enough and I narrowed my eyes on her in irritation. "Good and me in there?" She crossed her arm on her chest. Of course, she still needed to be the center of attention. "Because I don't stop lying to everyone so at least tell me what's going on."

"I'm keeping her here with me as she manages to control herself." Stefan answered simply and Vicki chose that moment to make her entry.

'' And how long will it take? '' Asked the vampire baby and I looked up becoming more and more bored by the two girls in the room. We really did not have time for that and Stefan seemed to agree as he turned to Vicki, slightly bored by her appearance.

"We'll talk about it later." He said before looking back at Elena, who was already nervously fixing Vicki.

"Hey, Vicki." Elena awkwardly recognized. "Are you okay?"

Vicki's eyeball was almost instant as she walked down the last steps and stood in front of Elena. "If I'm fine?" She repeated in disbelief."Are you kidding or what? ''

The brunette left for the living room and I followed her with Stefan and Elena on my heels. I could already see the grueling conversation ahead and I was heading to the kitchen ignoring Elena's calls.

I took out three cups from one of the cupboards before going to the coffee machine, I already knew the effect that caffeine had on vampires and I thought that might help. I poured the warm black-brown liquid into each of the cups before returning to the living room where Elena, Vicki and Stefan were now sitting on the various sofas.

"Think you need it." I told Stefan, handing him the cup with a wink, and his famous, sincere smile adorned his lips as he thanked me for accepting the cup.

I handed the second to Vicki as Stefan explained the importance of it. '' The best is the caffeine, circulating through our veins, it warms our body which allows not to be too cold skin touch.''

I sat down next to Stefan before taking a sip of my own cup and could see Elena staring at us slightly stunned. I shrugged and turned my attention back to the female vampire.

"And if I want to drink human blood?" Vicki insisted, making me want to hit her while Elena stiffened considerably, looking at Stefan with panicked eyes.

"You have to learn to control that desire." Stefan demanded, his tone as firm and understanding as possible. "To fight it, day after day, systematically."

"Oh no, the cheek doesn't detox in 12 steps." Vicki crooked with roll of eyes, annoyed making me squeeze my hand around my cup in exasperation. "I've already given in there with the high school doctor, it doesn't work on me. "

"It works when you want to get there." Stefan assured, trying to encourage her, but it was obvious that Vicki had no will whatsoever.

"So you've never tasted human blood?" Vicki said with a raised eyebrow, questioning.

Stefan looked hesitantly at Elena and then at me before looking at Vicki again, "Not long ago."  
I did not really know about his feeding time.

Most of the time, Stefan was secretive about some parts of his life and I was fine with that. I was perfectly aware that he was a vampire first and foremost and even if I wanted more than anything to idealize him, I knew he could not have been as blameless as he was now. I supposed that one hundred and sixty-two years were long, and we had to get lost more than once during the journey.

"That is to say-" Pushed Vicki curiously, and I could see that Elena's interest had also been caught.

Although she said it was over, she was still in love with Stefan. She could not hide it from me. I had heard her crying last night and I knew it meant something. Moreover, for someone who could not continue, she had quickly returned to get so-called answers.

Stefan had that effect, he was kind of addictive and I recognized it first. He had this facility to make you feel a lot better, as safe, and I would not let that slip through my fingers.

'' For years and when I think about it I'm not proud of my behavior.'' Explained Stefan in a pure guilt tone and I could not help but bring my hand to his, challenging the other two girls but I did not care.

He was my friend and I was there to support him, no matter what. There was a long silence like Stefan and I exchanged a tacit glance and I could feel the pressure he put on my hand as a sign of gratitude.

I thought this act meant a lot more to him than to me. I supported him in front of my sister and acted without any complex with the person he was. We sort of accepted ourselves as we were and that was the most important thing for me.

"And do these cravings stop?" Vicki popped in, interrupting our exchange and I quickly untied my hand from Stefan's to see Elena staring at our formerly laced hands with a frown. "It's like a mega cooked with vertigo. And hiding from the sun makes me nuts. I need blood, I need it. I must go to the bathroom too, quickly but why? I'm dead, right?"

I shook my head at all of Vicki's unanswered questions as she stood up to leave and I followed her receding back before returning my attention to the two who were looking at each other with puppy eyes sick with love.

"I'll go get some. She needs to drink some of it."Stefan said, exchanging a heartbreaking look with Elena again before getting up." Good, I'm quick. "

He left us alone and I could not say that it really enchanted me. I looked everywhere except for Elena who, on the other hand, was staring at me.

She played nervously with her fingers and I knew she was dying to say something. It was just in her nature. She did not make the silences tense and could keep her mouth shut. Only, I really did not expect what was coming out of her lips the next.

'' Stefan and you seem really close. '' I did a double-take in the staring, astounded before quickly regain my senses.

"So we are." I replied defensively despite myself and I could see Elena's eyes wide, surprised.

"Mila ..." Elena began in a sermon tone, but I stopped her immediately with a hand up.

"What's your point, Elena?"I interrupted quickly, going straight to the point." Because if you intend to lecture me so that I stop seeing him. I tell you right now, it will not work. I have never felt so alive since the parents' death thanks to him and Félix. So, whatever you say, it's no. "

"Even if it puts you in danger? "Barked Elena, irritated now." Mila, look at your neck. You've already been hurt, and I don't want to lose you, too. "

'' Believe me, you will lose me if you prevent me to see him. '' I assured my solemn and somber tone as both Vicki chose that moment to make her entrance.

"False alarm." The vampire exclaimed with a big smile to our attention. "My body feels really drained. It's still a good fatigue but it's very weird. "

I watched as Vicki grabbed her phone and started strumming on her keyboard. It reminded me of Felix and I looked at my own phone. I saw that I had a text message and did not hesitate to open it.

 _ **Felix: I work for the Halloween party ! Want to die! Come join me in the dark side.  
PS: I'm still angry with you, Slut!  
**_  
A smile twisted his way to the surface at Felix's words and I looked up to find Elena staring at Vicki worriedly. I shook my head, grabbing my jacket that I had placed on the edge of the couch and pulled it, immediately challenging the attention of Elena.

'' Where are you going?" She asked, her tone slightly panicked, making me pause in my ascent for the exit.

''Out!'' I replied not bothering to develop my answer as I headed back and hailed Stefan to prevent my departure before crossing the door and headed to my SUV.

I drove straight to Felix's house knowing he would take his change tonight and thought it was time to face him.

I could not indefinitely hide behind all the vampire problems and I had to act as the responsible person I used to be. I knew I was going to lie to him again but that was for a good reason. If I could lie with Jeremy, then I could do it with Felix. It was for his safety and that of Stefan. After all, it was his uncle who shot Stefan just yesterday and I still could not trust him with that.

Speaking of Logan, it made me think that I still had to recover the watch that Damon had taken. Just thinking about it was exhausting. My interactions with Damon were just a pain in my ass. If I could, I would never talk to him again but unfortunately it was not possible.

If I wanted to be friends with Stefan so I had to endure his murderous brother who tried to kill me more times than I could count.  
I parked in front of the big two-story white suburban house and stayed for a moment in my seat, frozen. I still did not know what I was going to say, and I suspected that a simple lie would not be enough this time.

If I wanted him to trust me again, I had to reveal part of the story to him.

On this thought, I descended from my SUV in a burst of courage and walked to the door before hitting three free kick against the ebony. I looked over my shoulder as I waited for someone to greet me when the opening of the door called out to me.

"Mila!" Mrs. Cooper-Fell exclaimed in a tone that was far too enthusiastic for me and she walked outside before sinking me into a tight embrace. I stiffened in sudden contact, not enjoying it in the slightest, and jabbing my jaw in irritation. "I'm so relieved to see you. I thought you and Felix had broken up. It would have been such a tragedy! "She broke away with an exaggerated look of terror and I held back from rolling my eyes." Oh, poor child! Come. Come.''

Fortunately for me, Felix was already descending the stairs as his mother closed the door behind me.

Only this little bastard took all his time and his mother had once again the opportunity to engulf me in a hug. Her bitter perfume filled my nostrils again and I had to restrain myself from vomiting. The nausea was instantaneous, and I coughed my jaw again. Its scent was a kind of mixture between the acidity of a lemon and the bitterness of an endive and I could already say that I was allergic to endive. It was way too sharp for my palate and I hated the taste in the mouth even more.

Felix's mother was no taller than me, but she still held me a few inches tall and wore the typically suburban clothes.

She had pulled her long, jet-black hair back into a tight, tight bun, making her look even more stilted and a perfect make-up almost a millimeter to the centimeter, covering her goose pasta and accentuating her strong cheekbones.

I did not deny the fact that she was a beautiful woman, but she was above all, infuriating. I stared at Felix, almost beseeching and narrowing my eyes at him as he smirked at me, taking full advantage of my discomfort.

'' Okay! Okay! Mom, it's good! You're going to kill her." Felix joined us and his mother let go of me, finally.

I did not have time to say phew as I was caught by the arm before being pulled through the stairs and the corridors leading to Felix's room. He closed the door behind him and left me standing in the middle of his room as he walked to his closet.

'' God, thank you, you came!"He exclaimed, raising his hands in theatricality." She kept asking me about our relationship." I shook my head with a sigh as he mimed quotation marks around the word relationship and advanced to his bed before letting me fall on it with a slight rebound.

"Do you think she will end up accepting your homosexuality? "I asked, lying on my back, taking my eyes off the ceiling for his back.

'' I suppose. Eventually.'' Thought Felix, distracted as he passed through his closet before turning to me with that inquisitive look. '' Ok, finished playing. I want answers. ''

"I doubt." I sighed, tired before taking a nervous breath. "Ok. Stefan and Damon have some questions like ... fraternal rivalries and I found myself caught in the crossfire."

My lie was not really one and I could see that Felix was really thinking of what I had just confided to him as he was stimulating with a finger on his chin as he analyzed each of my words.

"When you say : found caught in the crossfire. You mean: _found caught in the crossfire_ or _found caught in the crossfire_?" He asked, raising his suggestive eyebrows, a salacious smile playing on his lips as his tone was laced with taunts.

I widened my eyes as I grabbed one of his feather pillows and threw it on him in annoyance. "No, you idiot! Not in this kind of crossfire. ''

His smile fell in a frown as he sighed and raised his hands in the air as he did not understand the situation and I could not blame him. I too will have some difficulty understanding if I missed most of the story.

'' Care to explain, in this case?" He demanded as he joined me on the bed and lay down beside me, head to head as I stared at the ceiling with a pensive expression.

"Damon ..." I stopped in search of my words. How was I going to be able to explain the person that was Damon without letting anger, curiosity, interest and fear infiltrate my tone. "Damon is a complex character who devotes his life to making that of his miserable brother and as I am Stefan's friend, he takes pleasure in tormenting me to reach him."

'' Whoa, so, is he really like Christian Gray? "Asked Felix, putting his eyes full of mischief on me."Like everything : control maniac, violence etc. ''

"Seriously? "I moan, running my hand over my face in indignation." "Felix, you have a serious problem with this guy."

'' What? He's hot."Felix defended before quickly resuming." Damon is hot, and he has this torturer problem like him. "

"You say that like it's a fun party." I mumbled, sighing wearily. Being next to Damon was anything but fun. He was mostly, terrifying, exasperating, boring and ... hot. I had to recognize it.

''What's the trick with scarves?" Felix appeared, letting his hand reach for one end of my scarf and began to play absentmindedly with it."Do you want to try a new style or what? ''

'' What? "I was staring at the restlessness, straightening up." What? No, no ! Nothing! There is nothing with my scarf. ''

Felix raised an eyebrow, confused and straightened up on his elbows to look at me. "Okay. You're doing this weird thing again. Should I be worried? ''

"Watch out, bitch." I warily smirked. "I might think you're worried about me."

"Pff!" Felix immediately flinched as he got up to go back to his closet. "Help me find an outfit for work instead of saying these bullshits."  
I had spent the rest of the afternoon helping him choose his outfit and leading him to the Grill for the time of his change.

* * *

Now Felix was slaloming between the tables and the bar. I could see how the boss of Felix, did not care that teenagers handle the alcohol even if it was not legal.

I decided to act in solidarity and not go to the Halloween party organized in high school, not that I would really go in the first place but I preferred to have some kind of alibi against Elena.

After our little discussion this afternoon, I was sure she was going to start with me and I certainly did not agree with that. I loved my own life and my freedom, and it was not an authoritarian, bossy, controlling sister that would stop me from doing what I wanted.  
I did not really have any occupation since I was going straight to the Salvatore pension this morning and Felix had hours of work to catch up with. Which meant that I found myself at a stand, alone and watched most of the time, Felix worked as a stalker.

Currently, I was trying to spend time listening to music and playing Angry Bird on my phone. I was sure I had to look like a real geek with my lips squinting in concentration, my frowning frustration and my quick movements of thumbs and indexes but that did not really matter.

I was about to get past a level I had been stuck on for about thirty minutes when a new presence in front of my seat beckoned me. I made the mistake of looking up from my screen for five seconds and my level was dead.

Now, I was exasperated, frustrated ... oh, and super pissed.

My mood only got worse as I saw the reason for my failure. He wore his usual arrogant, execrable smile and his famous black leather jacket. His mere sight was enough to send me into a rage and I tore my headphones off my ears before slamming my phone against the table.

"What do you want, Salvatore? "I was defensive, narrowing my eyes at him distrustfully.

'' And I thought we were going to be friends, '' He said, pretending to be hurt before resuming his smirk at my frowning expression.

"We are far from friends." I snickered, sinking into my seat. "Now, is there a reason I have to endure your presence more than necessary? ''  
'' Ha, ha, Mila! "Scoff Damon between his teeth as he raised a finger." A boy can't enjoy your company? "

"I like being alone." I broke in with a dry smile as I crossed my arms over my chest and his amused expression immediately fell for a bad smile.

"That's not true." He objected as he knew what I was thinking, and my smile fell in a frown.

I felt like I was in a sort of trap of truth and even wanted to ... confide in him. Which was completely crazy since I could still feel my blood pulsing where his fingers had crushed my trachea as a constant reminder of the harm he was.

Now, I wanted more than anything to run away from here and especially away from him. I was the one who analyzed people using silence not the other way around. I hated being the center of attention especially when it was someone like Damon.

"I don't know what you're trying to accomplish with me ..." I was on the table, my stubborn eyes never leaving his and I could see his smirking smile for the first time." I don't know if it's a sick game to torment Stefan or harm me but from now on, stay away from me. I don't want to see you, hear you, or even have to do anything with you. "

'' Whoa, well ... '' His frown grew as he seemed to be searching for his words. '' It was very brave or so, very stupid, '' He commented before letting his threatening smile leave his pink lips for give way to a most serious expression. "You will not be able to hide indefinitely, Mila. ''

With that, I was completely speechless as he stood up from his place and made his way through the Grill to reach the bar. I could not see him because my back was facing him, but I was sure he still had his eyes on me. It was Damon after all, he was scary and a type of persistent stalker. I did not really know what to think of his little enigmatic remark.

You will not be able to hide indefinitely.

What did that mean?

Then, I realized what he wanted to do. He had just fucked up again with my mind and wanted me to torture myself to make sense behind his words. He knew I was analyzing people and he probably knew that I would like to analyze him too. Or, I lost my sanity to torment myself and did not know at all what I was talking about.

What did I say already?

Fucking shit! I turned my head in search of the vampire who had just turned my brain over just to find he was gone. There was no sign of him in the bar anymore. As if, he had never been there in the first place and I began to believe that I hallucinated.

Can I hallucinate? Maybe the depletion of frequent air had messed with my neurons or, so it was the regular blows my head was taking.

I shook my head furiously to remove this idea from my mind and suddenly stood up, suddenly needing air. All I knew was that I had to go out. I grabbed my jacket sitting on the bench and ran almost to the exit. I pushed open the swinging doors and exploded through the doors. The fresh air engulfed me completely and I leaned breathlessly on my legs. My heart was pounding, and my blood pulsed wildly along my veins. I knew that feeling. This lightness then pains and hyperventilation. The lack of air almost suffocating. I had just had a panic attack just with words from Damon. He had a hold on my mind and had managed to mess things up with six ridiculous little words.

A sound of slamming the door and footsteps against the concrete echoed behind me and I was soon wrapped in a kind of embrace. I did not know why, I let myself hug but I had never felt so vulnerable in all my life.

I recognized Felix's familiar scent and hugged him harder. It was as if, I could not stop anything.

A flood of emotion flooded me in the space of a few seconds and the pain I felt suddenly rushed like a tidal wave. I had to bite hard on my lip to prevent tears from falling, but it was a lot harder than I thought. I did not understand the problem with me. I remained strong at a sick vampire attack, but I collapsed into stupid little words.

"Hey! Hey! Mila? What is happening?" Questioned Felix completely panicked and confused as he slowly rubbed my back in a soothing gesture." It's okay, go. It will be fine.''

The seconds passed and more, I felt drained of all my energy. I felt like I was sucking in pain and suddenly the darkness seemed welcoming. I closed my eyes for a moment and the next minute I collapsed to the ground. Felix caught me just before my skull met the hard ground and the simple shock was enough for me to succumb to the darkness that surrounded me.

* * *

I woke up to the strange sensation of a comfortable and warm place. The surface was soft and almost tempting to plunge back into darkness then came the sound that had woken me up first. Sobs, several strangled sobs. I flicked my eyes open in a start and looked around me in confusion before I found myself in my bed.

But how? The last thing I remembered was at the Grill, Damon came to torment me again and then nothing.

I frowned completely when the noise was heard again. Well, it was not a sound but someone crying. I immediately got up from my bed, finding that I was now in a pair of sweat and a blue tank at night. I was even more confused at my change of clothes but did not really care since the sobs seemed much more important. I grabbed my hoodie from my desk chair and put it on before opening the door to see Elena come out of Jeremy's room with bright eyes.

I realized she was about to break up and could still hear Jeremy crying. It must have been serious if Jeremy was crying.

'' What happened ? "The words were instantaneous as I watched Elena expectantly.

Then, I became aware of her condition. She seemed much more pale than usual, dressed in her nurse's costume. She had soaked it in what I supposed to be fake blood but the seams torn on her arm called out to me. I frowned as I took a step forward and widened my eyes at the sight of a bite mark. I immediately looked up at Elena in terror and met her dull gaze. You did not have to be a great physicist to put two and two together and I took a step back in shock. Vicki. Jeremy crying. She was probably ...

I looked up at Elena at my thought.'' Is she ... ''

"Stefan tried to keep her out but she was going to kill me and ..."

'' Oh my God! "I paused in understanding before closing my eyes to Elena's." Where is he? Where's Stefan, Elena? ''

'' He is downstairs but ... Mila ... ''

I did not even wait for the end of her sentence as I ran, past her and went down the stairs four to four in haste and concern.

I knew Stefan well enough to know that he would blame himself for it and destroy him a little more. I exploded from the front door and Stefan abruptly rose from the small bench in the front of our loved one when I arrived suddenly.

I immediately caught his eye and could read him as an open book. All the emotions. Punishment, guilt, sadness, shame and ... _pain_.

In a totally instantaneous gesture, I ran towards him and closed my arms around him in a hug. He wrapped me in his arms for the second night in a row and I let him stand on my shoulder like the friend I was to be.

Only our embrace did not last long as new footsteps were heard and I pulled away with Stefan to meet Elena's weakened gaze.

"Are you okay?" She asked Stefan's attention, rolling my eyes.

How did she think he was going?

Contrary to what she thought, he was not a monster enjoying killing. No, Stefan was far from that. He was the most compassionate person I knew, and he did not deserve what was happening to him.

"I just wanted to help her." He said softly in a tone of regret and despondency."Only, instead ..." He looked up at Elena and me, swallowing. "And your brother, then? "

I had not really thought of Jeremy.

From the moment, when the words had left Elena's lips, I had gone down here and supported Stefan.

I recognized that it was two nights in a row that I was supporting Stefan instead of my family and realized that I should probably go check on Jeremy.

I stepped away from Stefan, giving Elena a look before I went past and stopped in front of my door. I gave Stefan an emphatic look before making my way inside.

My eyes fell on the top of the stairs and I did not really know if I would have the strength to face it. He should probably be like the day we learned that our parents were dead, and Elena was in the hospital in a comatose state.

I remembered having sunk on the ground like an automaton while Jeremy's cries echoed inside the house and did not move until it was forced.

I shook my head to erase that bad memory and took a deep breath before climbing upstairs. I made my way past Jeremy's door and hesitated to open the door.

Did I really want to face that? Can I even be of any help?

I mean, I was not really qualified when the person you loved had just died. I had lost my parents, but that did not make me an expert on death. Far from there. I still had trouble dealing with the death of my parents.

Finally, I opened the door on a whim and regretted it immediately when I saw the state of Jeremy. He was slumped on his bed; his knees close to his chest as he rocked back and forth. He did not even recognize me at first as I walked towards him and settled on the edge of his bed.

I put an uncertain hand on his knee and he raised his tinged eyes on me before taking his hands off his legs and jumping on my neck. I stiffen at first to this sudden contact before letting him cry on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around him and started scrubbing his back in a comforting gesture.

I could feel my shoulder getting wet as I tried to reassure him in a repetitive whisper and support myself together. '' There, there, It's ok, Jer! It's OK !''

I was so caught in the moment that I did not notice Damon standing in the doorway of Jeremy until he clumsily cleared his throat and made me turn my head in a jolt.

I should probably hate him, tell him to leave this house immediately but at that moment, I really did not have the strength to hold hatred against anyone.

Instead, I raised a questioning eyebrow without a word and Damon looked back at Jeremy who was still holding me as a lifeline.

"I'm going to compelled him to forget." He said softly, almost too softly, and I stared incredulously at him for a moment before resting my undecided look at Jeremy.

I did not like this idea, far from it but he seemed so broken and if anyone knew what it was to be broken would be me. I did not want him to become like me. A simple empty shell wandering without purpose or real aspiration. He had to live, laugh and grow. If I could do something good, then it would be this. He deserved that.

I pulled away from Jeremy and sat up on my feet before returning to Damon and give him a simple nod and leave the room of Jeremy by closing the door behind me.

I waited in front of the door, leaning against the wall, gnawing nervously on the fingernail of my thumb, and thinking of my own idea of compelling myself.

What if it could erase all the pain I felt? Makes me more myself. More like my old self. I would probably forget about my friendship with Stefan, but I assumed I would not miss it because I would become my old self again. I would not know they were vampires and would not feel this persistent need to protect and be there for Stefan without restriction.

I was really lost. I could go back to being like myself but then I should lose the only great friendship I had known and forget the moments I had with him. I would force him to pretend in my presence as I would pretend with Jeremy and I knew that I could not do that.  
Just when I came to this conclusion, Damon came out of Jeremy's room closing behind him and turned to me, seeming surprised by my presence before quickly resume his composed face.

There was a long, heavy silence between us as he stared at me as he tried to read me or even get an answer from me and it was for the first time that I saw a true part of Damon Salvatore.

He seemed real. The sheepish and gloomy look in his icy blue eyes and no arrogant smile betraying his false emotions.

"It's done." He finally said, breaking the silence and I just nodded before watching his back fleeing to the stairs.

"Damon ..." He turned with a raised eyebrow as I frowned, uncertain what I meant or even why I had stopped him. "Will he get better? ''

To my surprise, Damon made his way back to me and stopped just at my height to stare at me with a frown.

"That's not what you want to know." He objected simply making me look up at him. "What you want to know is if _you_ could get better."

Could it be that he knew how I felt inside? How much did I feel broken? No, It was not possible. He was Damon. He could not understand that. He had no emotions. If he knew it, he would probably have already tortured me with that or even killed me.

'' I could?"I asked, taking my courage in both hands and I could see Damon's frown deepen.

"You could." Damon agreed, weakly making me raise a confused eyebrow as he let his trailing tone show that there was a contradiction."But that would not be real, and you would not be the person you are now."

"You mean, the amorphous Mila who feels pain every time she moves or talks. Who can't even act without feeling the pain that gnaws at her from the inside and bursts her until she's completely empty inside and out. '' My tone becoming weaker and weaker with each word and I ended up widening my eyes in realization.

I had just confessed my greatest secret to the most hateful being on earth.

"You're so much more than that." Damon countered in a barely audible whisper, and I put my eyes wide on him in disbelief before feeling a draft, sending my flying hair back as he had to again gone.

Only the sound of the opening of our front door, told me he had been present and I was still trying to treat his words in my head.

It was the first time I had a real conversation with Damon and it left me even more confused than our regular arguments. He was probably the most complex and mysterious being I knew.

Another door slam pulled me out of my thoughts, followed closely by footsteps against the steps.

Within a few seconds, Elena was standing in front of me with the saddest expression I had seen. I did not really know what to do. I had never been good to comfort someone, let alone say something reassuring. I was not that person and would probably never be, but I knew Elena needed me.

My family needed me and no matter how I felt, I had to help them get through that.

Hesitant, I walked towards her and slowly closed my arms on her, giving her the first hug for many months.


	8. Chapter 8 : My Best Friend

**Chapiter 8 : My Best Friend  
**

After the last event and the death of Vicki masked in fugue, Jeremy, Elena and Stefan had been summoned to the police station to answer some questions about the former vampire.

I was not called since the whole city still thought I was mute and did not really have a connection with Vicki.

However, I had driven towards the station. I had not got a hold of Stefan since that famous night and I sincerely hoped that Damon had kept our conversation for him. I knew that if he knew what I really thought, Stefan would take his anxious expression number twenty and end up flogging himself. So here I am, parking in the parking lot of the police station before quickly making my way to the big doors. I remembered the last time I came here and that was not really something I honestly wanted to remember. I knew that as soon as I stepped inside, a flood of images would come back to my mind and I would be overwhelmed again by the pain and grief of their losses. It would be like starting all over again.

Now that I thought about it, I realized that I could not even move a single limb and could feel my heart speeding up in panic. I opened my eyes, feeling the hyperventilation win and striding to the wall for support. I leaned my arms and hands out on the brick wall and tried to calm down my breath. I needed to calm down. Felix had told me what had happened at the Grill at night and it had really freaked me more than I wanted to admit. After the death of my parents, I used to have panic attacks so strong that I ended up fainting, but they stopped.

I managed to tame them but if they started again, I did not know if I had the strength to fight them again.

I heard the opening of the swing door and I broke my gaze to the source of the sound just to see Matt walk towards his truck soon followed by Stefan wearing his usual face of self-pity. The mere sight of distress in him was enough to calm my frantic breaths and I took a long breath before making my way to him. Just at the same time, Jenna, Jeremy and Elena were coming out of the station and I stiffened at their confused looks about my presence. Stefan turned his eyes perplexed too and recognized me with the same confused expression.

Finally it was Elena who broke the heavy silence as she turned to Jenna and Jeremy and guided them to the car before turning to Stefan.

I was getting closer to the duo wanting to know what had happened in there and she arched a questioning eyebrow when I was close enough.

'' What?" I was more bored than anything else and the brunette looked back at Stefan as if I was supposed to understand that she did not want me here.

Well, what do you know? You can always run. It really was not the time to act on any puppy sick of love.

I crossed my leather-clad arms over my chest and arched an eyebrow at the defensive, drawing a long sigh from Elena.

'' It's okay?'' Stefan asked, still concerned about Elena's well-being, and I wanted more than anything to look at Elena's distressed expression.

It was not because we had had a sort of closeness last night that I was going to accept everything she did or even thought about.

I was always bored with her breaking up with Stefan and he would always be my friend which meant I would mostly take his side. Like right now, by the way.

"In any case, the sheriff suspects us of nothing. That's a start." Elena answered, nervous before continuing the compel of Jeremy overwhelming me with guilt.

After much thinking, I knew we did not have the right to take away his free will like that. I remembered wanting to know at all costs what Stefan and Damon were to be able to protect me from stress in the first place and now that I was thinking about it. I had let my brother suffer what I dreaded so much. I really did not know how to take it.

On the one hand, I just wanted to explode in his room and tell him everything, but on the other hand, I knew that being in the dark about everything that was going on, he was safe, unlike Elena and me.

Well, I did not know if Damon could be considered a danger. In fact, I did not know what to think about the vampire anymore. I had always been aware that there was more to him than his big vampire front but now, I was sure. There was a lot more to know about Damon Salvatore, but did I really want to know.

I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I had been absent from the entire conversation between the two and could now feel Elena and Stefan staring at me.

I frowned, not liking Elena's impatient look and snapped. "What? ''

"We're going, Mila." Elena ordered, annoyed by my lack of reaction and I took a double hold in disbelief.

"I'm going to stay with Stefan." I said in a flat tone, and I could almost see Elena's jaw unravel in shock. She always reacted excessively. I turned to Stefan, raising my keys with a smile. ''Get in, vampire boy. ''

I did not even wait for Stefan's response or even Elena's reaction as I was already walking towards my SUV.

The steps were not long in being heard by my side and I unlocked the doors before getting inside the vehicle followed closely by Stefan.

Since we had left the station, a heavy, heavy silence had settled on us and was beginning to seriously take its toll on my nerves. I began to tap my fingers distractedly on the steering wheel as I waited for the fire to turn green and became more and more affected by this silence. It was just too much. I did not do the silences and even less with Stefan.

Speaking of the vampire, his hand soon entered my field of vision before closing on my restless hand. I turned my head toward him with a sheepish expression and the vampire gave me a forced smile.

"Thanks." I whispered simply before shifting gears and back on the road.

There was a new silence between us forcing me to gnaw nervously on my lips and I could feel Stefan's insistent gaze on me. I knew he was calmly waiting for my explosion, but I could not bring myself to say a single word.

'' Mila?"Finally, Stefan came in, probably tired of my silence and I glanced sideways at him expectantly." Are you okay? ''

"I should be the one who asks you this question." I snickered before sighing.''It's just ... this situation. "

"You know you don't have to take sides. Elena's your sister and ... ''

"That's the problem, Stefan." I interrupted quickly, giving him a sharp look."You're my friend and I don't want things to be strange because of that."

Stefan seemed slightly resumed by that as he stared at me with wide, incredulous eyes before allowing a sincere smile to cross his features.

"I think it's time for you to meet someone." He said, poking my curiosity and staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

All the rest of the way to the board consisted of my incessant questions and Stefan's silent laughter, amused by my impatience.

Now that I saw the boarding house right in front of me, my impatience was almost too much to bear.

I stomped out of the car, almost anxiously waiting for Stefan to come out and act like a real girl on Christmas morning. It was rare that Stefan wanted to introduce me to someone and what I could get, it was an important person for him. Since I knew all his relationships in the city, I assumed she belonged to his past and that made it more exciting.

'' God, Stefan! For a vampire you are slow."I was hitting my limit soon and Stefan's laugh surrounded us again.

As soon as the words had left my lips, I felt two arms snake around my waist before I felt the wind lash against me, closely followed by a dizziness at the new sight of the inside of the boarding house.

"Oh, I'm going to throw up." I groaned, holding my throbbing head as I realized he'd carried me to the vampire speed and soon new footsteps coming out of my nauseated state.

I jerked my head up in nervousness and searched for the source of the noise.

'' Well, is it this little human you talked to me a lot about or did you just opt for a little appetizer?" Taunted a feminine, playful voice and I immediately turned the head in the direction from which it came for wide open eyes at the sight of a girl, perhaps in her twenties.

She was beautiful. These long straight blond hairs, almost golden, hung down her back and dusted her feminine figure perfectly. She was currently wearing a t-shirt and black skinny jeans revealing her generous curves and her round face showed an innocent yet formidable part. My gaze caught her sparkling brown orbs and I could easily discern the lived experience and torments involved in vampire life. I had no doubt about it. However, something different was coming from her unlike Stefan and Damon.

"Mila, this is Lexi. One of my oldest friends."Stefan said with a benevolent look at the pretty blonde and I tried a nice smile towards her.

''Ew! Please, you make me look old."Lexi replied before suddenly appearing a few inches away from me, making me jump back in surprise.

I let a little panting past my lips, raising a broad smile to adorn the luscious lips of the blonde as she tilted her head to the side to observe me.

''Ha! What is your problem with scary to the death the humans?'' I snapped, turning to Stefan with an eyebrow, questioning the tangle of boredom.

A melodious little laugh echoed between us and I looked at Lexi as she stared at me with pure malice, pulling me a smile.

'' I love her! She has guts." Exclaimed Lexi before taking my hand and dragging me to the living room.

She paused in front of the sofas before casually dropping on it and patted the spot next to her when she realized I was awkwardly standing up. I was quick to execute and found myself soon surrounded by the two vampires.

"So, tell me, what does it make to be friends with a vampire? "Asked Lexi, receiving a sharp look from Stefan to whom she simply shrugged." What? I always wanted to know what it was like coming from a human being who wasn't forced. "

"It doesn't really change anything. I know his nature and what he drinks to live but I don't see any difference. For me, he's much more than just a vampire friend, he's a true friend of mine who I care about.'' I said honestly, having no problem sending my thoughts to Stefan and I could see his eyes soften in sympathy.

"She really is that girl's sister, Elena?'' Lexi begged, turning to Stefan, instantly shattering Stefan's mood. "No, because she's doing it really well, unlike her older sister."

"Argh, of course you told her about Elena." I concluded, sighing heavily, rolling my eyes and leaning on the back of the couch before turning my head to the side to look at the two vampires who stared at me with interest, now. "She will come around ... finally."

'' See?'' Lexi pops in, calling out to me. "Even Mila says so. Come on, hop, pack your bags, we'll celebrate your birthday in New York and we'll take Mila. "

'' Whoa! Whoa!" I straightened up, widening my eyes in disbelief before narrowing my eyes to Stefan." What birthday? ''

''Mine. I'll be 162, tomorrow. "Stefan replied with a tense smile as he foresaw my glare.

"You could have told me. I would have planned something."I exclaimed, crossing my arms over my chest slightly annoyed by his lack of information.

"When you live that long, it's not a birthday, but a reminder of endless life." Stefan supported me, falling back into a dreary expression and turning my puzzled look at Lexi, who was frowning.

"Hey." The blonde said, getting up suddenly, "We didn't say brow."

"I'm with her on that one." I said with a sheepish expression, and Stefan looked between us as he struggled before leaving a faint, spreading smile on his lips.

"All right," He coughed, and Lexi now had a huge smile to which Stefan sent a sharp glance. "But we don't leave the city."

"Good, heck," Lexi gave in with a sigh and I could not help but smile at the interaction of the two vampires.

Stefan was totally different in the presence of the vampire. It was as if, all his existential problems were no longer there for a moment and he was acting like the real one. I knew he was more relaxed with me, but he was more relaxed with Lexi and I really liked to see him like that. It was a whole new facet that I discovered about him and it only added to my strange attachment to the vampire.  
Lexi, who had spotted my sympathetic look, was smiling at me with a secret wink, and I gave her a low shake with a matching smile.

My panic attack and my pain are away from my mind for a while.

It turned out that Lexi's laugh was contagious, and I probably laughed more during the last two hours than the last few months. It was just, Stefan, Lexi and me. I had never been so relaxed then in the company of two vampires and I realized that I was standing next to two people at the top of the food chain. I knew I had to be terrified, but I could not find the strength in me to feel that feeling. It was as if, my pain and fear was standing apart when I was with non-living people.

I had noticed several times that I felt a similar feeling with Damon, although still different. When I was standing next to the dark vampire, my pain turned into a kind of force that left me with no barriers. I found myself saying all that I thought boundless where even apprehension and felt somehow, confident. As if from all people, Damon would be the one who could understand me. I did not really know why I felt like that but I could not do anything to control it.

I did not realize that Stefan had slipped away until the blond vampire stood by my side and watched me with a pensive look.

I turned my head toward her, slightly uncomfortable under her attention, and raised an eyebrow, questioning. ''What?''

"You care a lot about him." She said in a tone of fact and not a question and I frowned, not knowing where she was coming from with that."So much more than you let it appear."

'' Oh! Oh! No, no! "I widened my eyes in slight panic." I don't like him like that. "

Lexi's infectious laugh was heard again, and I stared at her even more confused now. I really did not understand where she was coming from or why she was laughing at this fact.

"I know it, Mila." Lexi agreed, her laugh falling into a mocking smile before returning to her pensive look. "It's just the way you are around each other. When the other doesn't look, you send yourself an anxious look, almost as if you could feel all that the other feels. When you smile, he smiles and when you think, he thinks."She said, leaving me in a loss of word and was soon to resume."Stefan and I had always had a special bond but yours, is all the more. I'm glad he found someone like you to look after him. "

"I don't think that's right." I said, frowning thoughtfully."I'd say he cares for me. Before I meet him, I was just a shadow of myself and sometimes I still feel that way but it's enough for me to be in his company to make me feel more alive. ''

After my statement, there was a long silence in which Lexi and I exchanged a long tacit look before she resumed with a frown, anxious."He will really suffer when you die."

"I guess that's what the curse of vampirism implies." I agreed pragmatically with a low shake of my head."Look at all the people you love, die."

"It's not all bad." "Supported Lexi." Stefan and I are good sides of vampirism and Damon ... Damon ... well, he's the bad guys. "

"Do you really think what you're saying? "I asked with a slight frown and Lexi raised an eyebrow, confused. '' About Damon. That there is nothing good in him. "

Lexi seemed to stiffen immediately at that as she looked at me with severity and a dark look as if I had said the most insulting oaths and I suddenly felt, very aware of the seniority of the vampire. Anyone could be fooled by her beautiful innocent doll face but not me. She was probably one of the most fearsome creatures I'd encountered so far.

"Don't be fooled by his charms, Mila." Lexi warily warned with a dark look. "Believe me, I've already tried to bring him back on the right path and that was only to show how bad he was. "

"I don't think he's necessarily bad." I said with a frown, surprising me first with my statement."Lost, certainly. But bad? I don't think so.''

"Mila!" Called Lexi, her authoritarian and dry tone as I looked up to look at her." Damon doesn't want to help. Don't waste time with him or you'll be hurt, and I can't let you do that. "

'' Why?'' I wondered, confused.

Lexi's answer was simple but much more understanding than any other word. '' Stefan. ''

* * *

I had spent the rest of the day at the boarding house with the two vampires and was now in the driveway of my house.

I could see from the back of my steering wheel, the lights in the living room as well as the corridors leading to the kitchen. I remained frozen in my seat, my hands still on the steering wheel with dull silence as the only company.

I did not really know what thought of that feeling in the pit of my stomach. It was as if, I felt that part of me was missing, as if I had left the best part to the boarding house and kept more than the dark part with me.  
I could not help feeling the fear of entering this house so empty to me. Elena would probably be downstairs with Jenna talking boy while Jeremy would be either outside or locked in his room.

In either case, he would not be here. I missed my twin, more than I would like to admit in front of him, but I missed him. The short hug that we exchanged during the night of the Halloween party was a kind of reminder of what we had lost, and I wanted to get it back. I desperately wanted to get my brother back.

I ended up not removing the keys from the contact with a weak sigh and got out of the vehicle before locking behind me. I silently made my way inside the house and was immediately enveloped by the light sound of the television and the heat that radiated from the fireplace.

I was walking straight for the kitchen where I was entitled to the strangest show of all these last months and it beat well all its vampire crap. I was totally frozen at the sight of Jeremy doing his homework on the kitchen table and stayed like that for a good ten minutes until he finally looked up from his notebook to recognize me with a smile scary.

"Hey, twin!" Recognized Jeremy sounding too cheerful for the real Jeremy and I turned my head towards the couch to meet Elena's surprised and slightly worried look.

I gave Elena a quick nod to follow me outside the kitchen and make my way down the hall to meet her at the opening of the living room.

"What is this ?"I broke into a whisper slightly panicked giving a look at Jeremy who was still doing his homework in the kitchen.

'' I dunno. Do you think that could be an effect of the compulsion?'' Elena asked in a whisper as she, too, looked at Jeremy.

"It's not a miracle drug, Elena. Stress doesn't have a side effect."I rolled my eyes to show how much I regretted accepting to take the free will of my own brother before frowning. ''Whoever inflicts it can be the one responsible."

'' What do you mean?" Elena visibly ignores vampirism and I looked up with an incredulous look.

"Seriously?" I asked, clear boredom in my tone." "You really need to take a ride on the internet because-"

"Mila." She cut me off in my diatribe, impatient, making my eyes narrowed at her in annoyance. Everyone who knew Elena thought she was the perfect child, but she could be so rude at times.

''I mean Damon might have told him or done something that would make him that way.'' I explained, my tone oozing with boredom.''Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. I'm tired.''

I turned to head for the stairs when I felt her crooked fingers snaked my right arm and pulled me to a halt. I broke an irritated shine over my shoulder and met Elena's stern look.

'' Hold on, where were you all day?" She asked, her tone betraying her question as she was probably just waiting for a confirmation of her thoughts and I raised an eyebrow with contempt.

"Make a choice, Elena."

With that, I was back on my merry way and walked in some stride in the security that represented my room.

I pulled my leather jacket to let it rest on my desk chair and loosened my braid wheat ears while making my way in the shared bathroom.

I made sure to close the door behind me before pouring water from the shower. I quickly undressed, feeling goose bumps win over my lack of clothes and stealthily met my naked reflection. I was small with my hourglass shape and my small, firm, slightly rounded chest. Overall, I was rather athletic.

I had broad shoulders and a narrow pelvis, my thighs were naturally curved like my flat stomach. The muscles in my arms were dry and I had to thank the archery classes for that. My father had enrolled me in this classes from an early age. He always said that it could serve me one day and I grew to like it but now that he was gone, I could not find any pleasure to practice. My bow was now resting in the big sports bag at the bottom of my closet and I have not touched it since I tidied it inside.

I detached my attention from the mirror and went under the almost hot water, instantly relaxing me to the heat. I quickly took my shampoo with sweet almond oil and poured a generous nut into the palm of my hand before massaging my scalp until I felt my fingers twitching in pain. After that, I went to Elena's odorless soap and gently rubbed my body, taking advantage of the spray of water on my foamy skin.

I finally left my invigorating shower and jumped into a jog and a black tank top before donning a purple hooded cardigan. I brushed my long-wet hair with a brush and tied it into a fishtail before making my way back to my room.

I turned off all the light before sneaking under the sheets and soon closed my eyes in a state of fatigue.

Only, a certain conversation of the day resurfaced in my mind and I felt sleep slipping between my fingers. I knew I should listen to Lexi and have no hope or even thought for Damon, but he was not what he let appear. If the solution was not to change him but to accept him as he was. I was aware of how much I could sound mental right now but part of me was interest in Damon. I was not ready to follow my own thoughts but I could give Damon the benefit of the doubt or at least accept living in his presence.

* * *

I was startled awake by the thunderous ringing of my phone and I moaned heavily blinking eyelashes several times to wipe the sleep of my eyes before fumbling blindly, the side of my bed to my bedside table for reach my cell. From the moment I had it in my hand, I brought it to my ear and pressed to accept the call.

'' Mmmmmarhmmmmm.'' I grumbled against my pillow in greeting before sighing heavily into the phone and wearing my head to the left.

''First, I didn't understand what you said. Second, if you don't move your ass from your bed, now I force your door.'' Felix roared in his naturally excited voice and I groaned with a grin.

"Felix, it's way too early for that bullshit." I complained as I rubbed my face and rolled on my back now fully awake.

'' Too early? Too earl-bitch, it's over four o'clock in the afternoon."I jumped into bed at once and looked at my alarm clock to see that Felix was right.

I had spent most of the night thinking about my conversation with Lexi and graciously accepting sleep when he came to kill me only, it seemed like I had slept more than half of the day.

"Shit." I swore, throwing my sheets out of me and making my way to my dresser."Nobody woke me up."

"Are you joking?" Felix yelled in the phone and I was holding the phone from a distance with a deafening grimace."I have been trying since this morning."

'' Sorry.''I said sheepishly as I tucked the device between my ear and my shoulder to get through my drawer.

'' Sorry, sorry. "Repeated Felix, sardonic with a slight bitterness." You owe me, bitch. "

I buttoned my jeans listening to the allegations of Felix and narrowed my lips keeping my eyes on my button.

"All right, I owe you." I sighed distractedly before pulling the phone from my ear to put on my red tank top before bringing my phone back.

"Join me at the Grill Party tonight." He asked, and I frowned, confused.

"Don't you work tonight? "I asked, hoping that was really the case but his refusal was almost instantaneous, and I bit my lips hard with grimace." We really have to go? You know we could just do something in a less-''

"Mila Gilbert, if you say less crowded, I'll make you regret it." Interrupted Felix briskly and I sighed in defeat through the cell phone. "Seriously, Mila. It will be a matter of hours and you owe me. "

''Fine. Let's go to this party. "

"You see, it wasn't difficult?" Mocked Felix and I did not need to see him to know he was smiling in jubilation.

"Bye, Felix." I hung up quickly before throwing my cell phone on my bed with a bounce and brought my hands to my hips with a sigh.

So, not what I needed on waking. I pulled the elastic out of my hair and ran my fingers through my strands now, curly as I made my way outside my room.

I passed Jeremy's door and found him playing a video game. I was about to continue my way, but something stopped me, and I wrinkled my lips in a hesitant line before taking a step in his room, calling out to him. He immediately looked up from his screen and seemed slightly surprised at my entrance before leaving a smile on his lips.

"Hey!" He greeted slightly uncertainly as his brown eyes scanned me.'' You got up late. It doesn't look like you. "

"Yeah, I know." I agreed, pushing my hands into the back pockets of my jeans and I could see Jeremy's eyes widening at my speech. "Are you the only one at home? ''

'' No. Elena has decided to wander with her diseased love dog expression all over the house and Jenna is probably at the university."Jeremy explained with a roll of eyes at Elena's mention and I could not prevent the spread of smile on my lips.

"Good," I agreed with a nod as I made my way back to the exit. "So, I should avoid the bottom floor."

''Hey, Mila?'' Jeremy interrupted me, and I glanced over my shoulder."You can also avoid her by staying in my room and making you beat at video games."

"Please," I rolled my eyes pretentiously. "Last time, I beat you. Two times.''

"In that case, you have nothing to fear." Jeremy challenged me, and my competitive instinct took over as I quickly made my way to his side and settled on the edge of his bed crossing my legs in an Indian style.

"I'm going to crush you, twin."

After six long games, four wins and two defeats, I was officially the big winner and Jeremy brooded his defeat with a scowl. I smiled to the ears as I rested the controller on the bed and ruffled his messy hair with my jubilant hand.

'' Oh! You're going to regret it. "Jeremy said, giving me that famous look of retribution and I widened my eyes as he let go of his controller and grabbed my hips before flattening me in bed and attacking my sides fiercely. I felt the crisis of laughter overwhelm me and despite my useless struggles, I could not hold them back.

'' St-stop! Jer-jer! Sto-stop! Ah! Ah! Jer! Stop!'' I stammered into laughter and waddled me to try to get out of his grip.

Eventually, he eventually stopped tickling and now stood on his back laughing loudly. I slowly resumed my laughter and soon our laughter died away in a comfortable silence. I calmly watched his ceiling, taking in long breaths and hearing the brewing of his sheets as he turned his head to stare at me with a frown.

"I missed you." He said, looking sad as his tone and I rolled to the side to face him, biting the inside of my cheek in guilt.

I knew that Jeremy's right-of-way transformation was due to Damon's compulsion and even though, that was what I had been waiting for months, I could not give up thinking about it.

He seemed a lot better but as Damon had said, it was not real. He lived in a disguised reality and I did not know if I could continue to participate in this masquerade. I did not want to participate anymore but did I really have a choice?

'' Jer? "I called, hesitating as I bit back inside my cheek and he raised an eyebrow in expectancy."Are you still hurting? ''

There was a long silence as Jeremy lowered his eyes with a slight frown worried me a little more every minute. I realized that I should never have asked such a question and feared that I had ruined the whole time we had spent together.

"I always feel the hollow they have left." Jeremy finally replied, his voice broken as silent tears ran down his cheeks.

I gauged his hand extended to me, undecided before finally intertwine my fingers with his in the support. I was not doing human contact, but he needed it and I was ready to give him the support he deserved.

I knew it was rather hypocritical of me, since I was as broken as he was, but right now he was the one who needed help and no one had to know that I was suffering too. Especially not my family.  
I stayed like that, beside Jeremy with my hand intertwined in his in a soothing silence until he finally calms down himself.

Even after that, he kept our hands tight together and just stared at the ceiling in a thoughtful silence. I took in his features and could not help but find mom and dad in him. He had dark hair and dark- mom's eyes and dad's cheekbones. Our size differences were blatant as we posed side by side and I could not help but think back to our years of competition. Living with a twin was the best thing that could have happened to me. I always had a best friend by my side and grew up with him. Every stage of life had been a fun competition with Jeremy and it was there, my best memories.

Suddenly, the ringing of my phone sounded in the next room and I did not really need to look to know it was Felix. Time had passed faster than I thought, and he was probably already at the party.

I sat up with a tired sigh and reluctantly detached my hand from Jeremy's before I looked at him with sympathy.

'' Are you going to the Grill Party?" I asked, my tone betraying my craze and I could see Jeremy's mocking smile crossing his face.

'' Are you going to a party of your own free will?'' Jeremy scoffed, incredulous and I gave him a light punch in the shoulder.

"Shut up," I warned with a roll of my eyes. "And no, Felix forced me."

"Felix, huh." Jeremy repeated with a protective frown, and I rolled my eyes again, shaking my head with a phantom smile on my lips.

I got up from the bed and smoothed my tank top, shaking my head, hilarious by his big brother's overprotective attempt, and headed for the exit.

"Yes, Felix," I agreed with a hint of a laugh before closing behind me and going to my room.

I picked up my cell phone and a gray hoodie and slipped it on before adding my leather jacket and putting on a pair of black lace-up boots.

I pulled my curly hair over my jacket and left them littered my back as I made my way down the stairs. It seems that Elena was no longer at home like the living room and the kitchen was empty and I suspected she must be at the party. I closed the door behind me and crossed the driveway to my SUV before getting into it.

I had driven all the way to the Grill and was now in the crowded parking lot. I really hated Felix to shoot me in such popular places. It was just not my scene and he knew it.

Only, I knew he was not the only one there and was enough to get me out. Stefan had sent me a text earlier to tell me that Lexi was hanging around the party for his birthday and that he needed a lonely support mate.

I smiled, pocketing my phone in my jacket and walking through the restaurant doors, just to be absorbed in a crowd of people and deafened by the loud music. I tried to make my way through sticky bodies and became more and more oppressed by the minute. I wrinkled my lips in exasperation and pushed me forward in a final effort to escape the crowd.

Finally, I felt a hand catch mine and was soon pulled away from the stuffy bodies. I looked at my savior and sent a flash of lightning at Felix's sight.

"I hate you," I shouted under the deafening music as I crossed my arms over my chest and he gave me an arrogant smile.

'' False. You love me, and you'll stay because you love me."He objected confidently, and I thundered into a scowl as I turned to the dance floor to watch the drunken teenagers.

'' Who threw this party anyway?" I asked out of curiosity and Felix leaned towards me.

"Caroline." He replied with a shrug and I stiffened instantly at the mention of the blonde.

Instinctively, I started looking for the Salvatore through the teenage crowd and found him at the bar, drinking a glass of what I supposed to be bourbon.

It was not normal. Caroline was perhaps a kind of queen of the party, but she did not throw parties for no apparent reason and I did not see them here. Given her past as a puppet, I suspected the vampire to have once again used his gift of persuasion but for what purpose.

I turned immediately to Felix to warn him that I was absent for a few minutes and made my way to the bar. I took the vacant stool beside Damon, questioning his gaze on me but kept my eyes on the bartender who approached me.

"A soda." I commanded with a nod before turning to Damon who was already smiling from one ear to another in his famous irritating smirk.

"I didn't think you were a party girl, Mila." He mocked as he leaned over the bar.

"You don't know anything about me, Salvatore," I chuckled coldly before narrowing my eyes to him. "What do you want with Caroline? ''

"Oh, you know a lot of things." He replied, raising his suggestive eyebrows, accompanying the hint, but I was not ready to accept his bullshit so easily.

''Quite the shit, Damon." I snapped, annoyed as I took a step forward, filling in the gap between us and pointing at his chest. "Why did you organize this party? ''

The bartender chose just that moment to return with my drink and put my glass in front of me, catching my eye.

I took the glass before resting my eyes on Damon, just to find myself face to face with him. I could feel his hot alcoholic breath dragged over my lips and his shadowy look plunged into mine, causing me to accelerate my heart rate in mild panic and embarrassment. I was fully aware of Damon's attractive physique and I had never been so close to a man before. I felt the creeping heat in my cheeks and took a step back, making Damon smile in victory.

The bastard.

That was exactly what he was looking for. I would be fist by narrowing my eyes exacerbated on him and rested my question in expectancy.

"I can't tell you," Damon answered mysteriously as he took a sip of his drink and I frowned, bored and slightly intrigued.

'' Why?'' I asked, taking despite myself, a step forward filling the space again and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

Damon glanced at me over his glass and rested it on the bar before turning completely to me to stare at me with a smirk.

"Because..." I felt his hand reach my kidney drop, pushing me towards him and I widened my eyes when he put his other hand. "It would not be a surprise anymore."

I found now glued to his chest and could feel his cage up and down against mine. His cold hands radiated through my vest contrasting with the warmth running through my veins and I could hear my heart beating like a hummingbird.

He plunged his cerulean orbs back into icy blue and I could see him examining me in tense silence. I swallowed, thinking only of his hands against my waistcoat and watched him out of breath.

It took all my resistance to get out of my stupor but I took a sudden support on the chest of Damon to extricate myself from his embrace and broke my stinging eyes on him.

"I swear to you that if it's one of your plans to hurt Stefan, you'll be dealing with me." I said coldly, sending him a deadly glow before quickly making my escape from him and my feeling creeping heat.

I did not know what had happened, but it was beyond my mind. I really needed to control these damn teenage hormones.

The worst was that I did not feel anything for Damon, but he was just so damn handsome that it was hard to talk to him without falling into his stupid bad boy trap. Especially for a girl as inexperienced as me.

I was making my way to join Felix who was now in charming company and grumbled under my breath as I knew I should leave him alone. I turned to look for Stefan but found Lexi instead. She was next to Damon and seemed to be in a lively conversation with him. Then, it was when I saw them.

The sheriff and two deputies were heading to the bar with a girl by their side. I frowned anxiously, feeling a creeping feeling in the pit of my stomach and started pushing all the teens blocking my way. I had to stand on tiptoe and push the sticky bodies out of my way to get a glimpse of the situation and I stared up, horrified as Sheriff Forbes seemed to have stuck a needle into Lexi's arm and caught her in her arms.

I pushed the bodies more violently to despair of making my way to the vampire but was suddenly grabbed by the arm before being dragged to the side of a frightened Elena.

'' Elena?'' I wondered confusedly before looking at the hand that held me to see that it was Stefan."Stefan? What is happening? ''

'' Excuse me! Excuse me. "Stefan apologized coldly to one of the agents as he tried to make an exit, but the officer raised a hand to stop him.

"You can't go there." The officer warned him coldly and I stared into panic as Stefan turned around with a worried look.

'' Stefan! "I called him but pulled him across the bar anyway without waiting for an answer.

Felix had shown me the different outlets of the Grill and I knew there was an emergency exit outside the kitchens.

I drove exactly Stefan and Elena over there, and soon drove up the street outside the Grill. Wrestling noises could be heard at the front of the Grill and we were not slow in moving forward to open wide eyes as Lexi showed her vampire face and violently pushed back the two agents who held her before loading to the sheriff who had taken out her weapon.

I gagged in panic as Stefan retorted Elena as the sheriff began shooting Lexi repeatedly, though it had no effect on her and could feel my heart about to explode.

Then, as I thought it could not be worse, Damon came out of nowhere with a stake in his hand and I dropped my hand to my side, gaping as he planted it right in Lexi's heart.

'' Oh!'' Hailed Elena in shock and bewilderment and Stefan quickly held her against the wall.

'' Oh!'' Stefan whispered in a most painful expression I had seen, and I really realized what was happening. "Oh! No.''

I knew what Lexi meant to Stefan and I could not believe that Damon had really killed her without any remorse.

I could feel the tears pouring in at the sight of Stefan trying to keep himself together and swallowing while watching the sheriff and Damon charging Lexi's body into the trunk of the patrol car.  
I could easily see Stefan's expressions quickly changed from sadness to uncontrollable rage and could not blame him.

He had just witnessed the assassination of his best friend at the hand of his elder brother. Now, I was also feeling rage making its way through my veins and I was following Stefan closely through the parking lot as Elena was running after us.

''Stefan."Tried Elena in a panic to stop him but that was useless." Stefan, "

I understood Stefan's rage at the moment. I had met Lexi and she did not deserve to die. Neither now, nor ever.

''He just killed Lexi. He killed Zach. He killed Tanner and transformed Vicky. "Stefan boldly enumerated with pure hatred, and I made a slight halt to his next words." Then I have the duty to kill him. "

'' No. Stefan, "Elena shouted, horrified now." I forbid you. "

'' Ah! Yes. And why?" Stefan furiously exploded as he turned to Elena, taking a slight step back to the brunette while I looked at my best friend with aching eyes.

It really hurt to see him like that, but I knew it would be worse if he killed his brother.

"Why do you want to save Damon? It's someone who will always refuse to change, you understand that. He doesn't want to change. "

'' It's not him I want to save, but you. '' Elena objected, surprising me by her despairing tone and I looked at Stefan hoping her words would have an impact on him. '' You realize the risks that you take. I beg you, Stefan. "

Stefan shook his head sadly, looking at me. "Wherever I go, there are deaths and their pains are chasing me. Damon is chasing me, but it's over. I have enough.''

"Stefan," Elena said, tears in her eyes trying to hold him back. ''I beg you. Let me help you in my turn. We'll talk about it together quietly."

'' No, '' Barked Stefan categorically as he looked hard at Elena and I knew that everything that came out of his mouth would be harder than anything I'd heard from him as he stared at me.''You were right to want to get away from me. ''

I felt my heart shatter as he left us alone in the middle of the parking lot and I was unable to move any muscle.

Tears flowed freely over my cheeks and I was not even paying attention to Elena who seemed in a similar state to mine.

I knew I should react and get to him, but my heart ran a little deeper in my chest as if I lost a hold on everything, I had built up lately. It was like starting the death of my parents again. Then, with that thought, I knew that I could not let him go as easily as I had lost my parents. I could not let him go. Not when he was all that held me together.

I quickly picked up my keys in my jacket pocket and immediately ran for my car, leaving Elena behind. I climbed into the cockpit and put the ignition in the space of a few seconds before pressing the foot to the floor.

I had probably transgressed all the rules of conduct as I had not seen the past trip and I was quick to shoot in front of the boarding before suddenly pulling the handbrake and explode through the door leaving the vehicle still lit and sprang into a sprint across the alley, already panting with tears.

I burst inside the boarding house, my ribcage getting up and down frantically as I looked around the green-eyed vampire all around me and soon heard the din in the living room.

I ran immediately into the corridors leading to the living room as if my life depended on it and sincerely thought that my heart would let go. I could hear breathless voices and accelerated before stopping at the sight in front of me.

''No. You saved my life in my turn to spare yours. We are finally done. And that's for the rest,'' Spat Stefan fiercely, trying to keep his voice from shaking, and I widened my eyes with horrified gasp as he plunged a wooden stake into Damon's abdomen.

The look on Stefan's face was just heartbreaking as he passed me without even glancing at me and I followed his back, fleeing in pain, before turning my attention to the vampire suffering the martyr. It was just what he deserved but part of me was relieved that Stefan had not killed him. I knew that even if he felt the irreproachable need to kill his brother right now, he would regret it all his life and could not bear to live with it on his conscience.

I took a determined step in the room without ever leaving Damon eyes and posted me in front of him with a look of pure hate before letting my eyes drag on the stake.

I raised my hand before grabbing the stake and put my hand on the shoulder of Damon before pulling the stake with all my might. Damon groaned and groaned in pain before sinking to the ground in agony as I dropped the pile on the ground.

I stood, hovering over him as he raised his head with a look of pure confusion written on his face."Why? ''

"Believe me, it's not an act of kindness." I coldly said, kneeling in front of him. "I'm doing it for Stefan. Unlike you, he couldn't live with your death on his conscience. "

I slowly got up without ever taking my eyes off him before turning back for the exit, I walked through the door before making a stop and look at the vampire still on the ground over my shoulder.

'' Oh! And the next time you hurt Stefan. I'll kill you myself. "

I let my threat hang in the air as I made my way up the stairs without any hint of remorse and went to Stefan's room.

I suspected he must have heard my altercation with Damon but that must be the last of his worries. I heard very well what he had said to Elena and I could not let him go like that. I knew him well enough to know what he was thinking. I would not let him do that. Not now, never. He was everything that held me together and I knew that if he left then I would be an empty shell again.

I took a deep breath in front of the open door of his room before taking a step inside to find him sobbing on his bed, his face buried in his hands and his back shaken by his tears.

I made my way to his side and put my arm around his shoulder. His reaction was almost instinctive, he turned to me and put his head against my chest as he closed his arms around me and began to sob without restraint. I tried to hold him as best as I could, but I felt my own tears pour in for Lexi's loss and I was now holding on to him as he stood to me.

It was going to be a long night.


	9. Chapter 9 : I'm so sorry

**Chapter nine : I'm so sorry**

I felt the hot breath sweeping the top of my skull as my head went up and down slowly in a steady rhythm. A cocoon enveloped me in a feeling of pure serenity and I had never felt so peaceful. I did not really know where I was, but suddenly I did not want to leave. My whole sorrow seemed far away at this moment, as if I were free. That nothing could happen to me if I stayed here. I thought of nothing except the sense of well-being that enveloped me. I was relaxed and did not want it to stop. Never.

Then, as I thought nothing could destroy my sense of security, that irritating voice rang out from my peaceful bubble.

''Up ! Up ! In there! "Clumpered Damon cheerfully, making me leap in a bound and I looked around, disoriented to find that I was still in

Stefan's room and that the peaceful cocoon had been his arms. I was looking slightly uncomfortable at the fact that he was currently wearing an open hooded vest, exposing his perfectly drawn bare chest before being irritated again by Damon."You're going to be late in class. Oh, and Elena agrees you get all hug? "

I swallowed embarrassed at his insinuation before glaring at him and jumped quickly to my feet as Stefan straightened up sharply and sent a deadly glare to his brother.

We had probably fallen asleep after the night we had. The worst part was that I had aches all over my body and my eyes burned like never. I felt like I had not slept in days.

"I can know what you're doing there," Barked Stefan, not hiding his hatred as I shrink my gaze on the dark-haired vampire in expectancy.

"I'm burying the hatchet." Damon said with the falsest smile I'd seen on him as he held out a cup for Stefan to take.

As if that would fix everything he had done.

"Long way to go, Damon." I spat bitter as I pulled on my hooded jacket while Stefan sighed wearily and stood up.

I kept looking away, still feeling embarrassed by the fact that he was currently shirtless and that we had been like Damon had said _"Cuddles"_ and was trying to ignore the blood flowing in my cheeks. I really needed to learn how to handle my teenage emotions or else they would be the death of me.

''C'mon, you need it to put blood circulation back on the road. That would wake you up a dead."Damon insisted with a cynical smile and I stared incredulously at his misplaced joke while he was still tugging on Stefan's bloody cup before sighing. ''Okay. I am sorry.''

Stefan, who was now facing Damon, narrowed his eyes to him and snapped, "Out of my way please!"

I followed Stefan's elusive back to the bathroom before catching the elder Salvatore staring at me, making me frown in boredom.

"Idiot." I insulted with a roll of eyes as I went back to the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe.

I watched Stefan attentively and could not help but think back to yesterday's night. How he had seemed so vulnerable and hurt beyond words. I still could not believe that Lexi was dead and that the culprit was Damon. It was just surreal. Maybe she was right, like Stefan was right.

But what did I say? Of course, they were right.

Damon did not want to change, and he would probably never change. Although I still do not know if he has to change.

I heard Damon's footsteps taking me out of my thoughts about him and frowned again as he stood beside me to look at Stefan.

"I gave what they wanted to the vampire hunters. It was for our good to everyone. But I understood."Defended the vampire, making me roll my eyes just like Stefan." And to prove it to you, I'm going to drink no more human blood ... for at least a week. I'm going to adopt the Stefan diet, I will only eat bunnies."

I turned, arms crossed over my chest with a distressed expression, and shook my head in disbelief. He was unstoppable. He took everything to mockery and had no ounce of remorse. I wondered if this was a vampire thing or just an irritating trait of his character.

"Because I understood that killing your friend, the closest, was a demonic Machiavellianism. Yet-''Stefan retorted, passing me on his way to his room and I frowned like Damon at his imitation. '' In a way, I found it amusing. ''

"You're imitating me." Recognized Damon as he put his amused gaze on me and I raised my arms to the celling with a roll of my eyes, aghast as Stefan pulled on a plaid shirt as he looked away his brother.

'' Oh! You can't hide anything."He said sarcastically, making me sigh in defeat." Now that I've got rid of the secret vampire society. I will be able to return to my daily routine. Thinking of a new way to rot my little brother's life. ''

They were worse than teenagers and yet they were older than I ever would be.

I made my way to Stefan's bed and sat crisscrossing my ankles to watch the two brothers converse with boredom.

"And I'll be able to continue to be grumpy, longing for Elena and frowning," Said Damon, his playful tone as he smiled with a huge smirk."That's cool. I love this new game. ''

"Very mature, boys." I huffed, my distressed tone and the two vampires stared at me with a slight surprise like, they had forgotten that I was present, making me roll my eyes and mumble. ''And to think that I thought being friends with a vampire would spare me immaturity.''

Damon narrowed his icy eyes at me with a mocking smile as Stefan wore a sheepish expression before returning his attention to Damon.

"As for me, I'm finally going to reveal what I had behind my head when I decided to come back and bring death and terror to Mystic Falls. "

I exhilarated at this, understanding Stefan's point and looking at Damon expectantly, almost hoping to finally get real answers, but he frowned, annoyed.

"Yeah. I'm sick of it."He smashed as he put the cup for Stefan on the table and began to make his way out before looking over his shoulder." That's all you spit, Damon! You always must have the last word. ''

I watched Damon's fleeing back, dismayed, and waited until he was totally out of sight to turn to Stefan with an indignant expression.

"He's impossible." I exclaimed, outraged and met Stefan's green forest orbs. He was already staring at me with a frightening frown and I could not help but feel a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"You should go to class, Mila," Stefan said coldly, avoiding me as much as he could, and I immediately got up on my feet, alert.

"I think I'll stay," I countered with a frown, worried as I tried, unsuccessfully to get eye contact with him. "Stefan! Look at me.''

"Mila, go away!" He ordered dryly now, and I stiffened slightly at his tone.

"Not until you tell me what's going on." I said, adopting his cold tone and narrowing my worried eyes on him.

"Mila ..." Stefan sighed, tired, keeping looking everywhere except me, "I can't go on living a normal life when Damon keeps repeating death."

'' So what?'' I said, now irritated by his words. I understood the hint very well and it was out of the question that I was going to let that happen. Huh. Huh. Not when I'm still standing. "Are you going to stay cloistered in the boarding house and keep yourself away from everyone? ''

"It's good, you're angry." Stefan concludes wearily. "It'll be less hard, if you hate me."

I stared into disbelief and watched as Stefan made his way to the exit before I chased him and blocked him by putting me in front of him, sending him an exasperated glare.

"Oh, I'm far from angry. Believe me. '' My tone was cold and controlled as I kept him from going one step further even though I knew he was letting me control him. '' Listen to me, Salvatore. I forbid you to leave or to do what you have in mind. You don't have the right to be so selfish. You showed me a life where I could be a happy person and you can't let me go now, it's clear?"

Stefan was looking at me with his most painful and contrite look that I had seen and sighed sheepishly. '' Mila ... ''

'' No, no, I don't want to hear it. "I cut him quickly, feeling panic rise." You'll take time for yourself and get back to your spirits. Okay? Everything will be alright.''

I gave him a tense smile to stop me from cracking in front of him before turning around without even glancing at him and making my way up the vintage stairs to the boarding house.

At each step, I could feel my heart getting heavier and I really did not know what I would do if he really decided to go far away. He was everything that held me together since he had arrived in town and I could probably never come out if he left. It was almost pathetic. The way I depended on him like this, he was the only person who could keep me from sinking. I did not know why I had chosen anyone, but he was my rock and I could never hold on if he left. I had never measured the importance that Stefan represented in my life so far but now that the question arose. I knew I was nothing without him.

I climbed into my SUV in a sort of second state and drove up to the house without even realizing it. From the moment I left the pension Salvatore, I was once again in my old habits. I did not talk to Jenna who seemed perplexed about my lack of high school or even Jeremy who was worried. I just sat on the couch with my knees close to my chest as I stared into the void with a bunch of depressing thoughts.  
I had been trying for over an hour to imagine my life without Stefan. The dull days that awaited me and the sense of well-being he would bring with him. Of course, I would always have Felix, but it was not the same.

Stefan had been the first person in a long time to capture my attention and got me out of my frozen state. When I looked into his eyes, I felt this intense connection and the feelings he understood. We shared much more than I could share with another person. We had talked for hours and hours and knew almost everything about it or at least what was most important. I was perfectly aware that he had a much darker past that he did not talk about and that he had gone from there, that he was getting his inner sufferings and demons that was eating him a bit more every day. But that was also why I felt with him. I felt a whole lot of feeling safe and well-being and I could not think of a life without him.

I heard a slammed door followed closely by steps behind me but remained in the same position, without a word.

"Mila?" Elena recognized, widening her eyes to my sight and standing beside me. ''Hey, Mila? You're okay?''

I stared blankly at her and saw Bonnie behind Elena, who seemed rather nervous. She wriggled her fingers in her hands and looked around her like she was expecting someone to come out of nowhere. I knew what Bonnie was.

Ste ... Stefan had explained to me the origin of the Bennett bloodline and their gift of magic. I had strangely taken more time to accept her existence than that of the vampires but had finally done with it. I had not really seen the brunette with the dark complexion since the car wash, but I could easily see that she was more than stressed.

I intentionally ignored Elena as I was standing in front of Bonnie with a frown, concerned. "Are you alright, Bonnie? ''

'' Huh? Oh ... "Bonnie appeared with wide eyes in surprise and anxiety as she looked over my shoulder at Elena. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine ..."

I gave Elena a suspicious look knowing they were keeping something from me but decided it was not important. I had much darker ideas in my mind and I did not really care about the two girls. I just shrugged and headed for the stairs when I caught the two girls' whispers.  
I kept on going keeping spies on the girls.

"It's okay, Bonnie." Elena whispered in a whisper and I frowned, puzzled, "I'm going to call Stefan and I promise you Damon will leave you alone."

I widened my eyes to that and quickly climbed the stairs to my room. What I had just learned was vague, but it deserved some answers.

I walked instantly to my dresser and changed to the first pair of ripped jeans that I found and a long-sleeved T-shirt navy and quickly put on my converse before catching my jacket and redo my way to the door input. I slammed the door behind me in haste and ran down the front steps four to four before running to my SUV.

I threw my jacket on the passenger seat and quickly made contact before entering the road to the Grill.

Knowing the dark-haired vampire, this was my best bet. It seemed he had taken a subscription at the local bar and I could not help but shake my head at the thought again. Damon was so stereotypical when you thought about it. The bad older boy who was wearing leather jackets and was hanging around bars. We couldn't do more stereotype.

Well, I assumed it was part of Damon's game. I did not doubt that it worked on most girls, so I assumed that was what he was looking for.

I was passing a new fire as I wondered what the vampire might want to Bonnie and sincerely hoped that I would finally get some answers. I was tired of Damon's games and if getting answers could help me keep Stefan going then that would be for the best. Now that I thought about it, I really needed his answers. It was worth my sanity.

* * *

I entered the parking lot of the Grill and soon found the famous Chevrolet Camaro convertible 1969 of Damon.

I parked not far from his car and took a long breath before turning off the engine and looking at the building before my eyes. My talks with Damon were not what I liked the most about what had happened the day before. I knew I had to talk to him for answers, but that did not make the thought uncomfortable less.

Finally, I got off my SUV locking behind me and walked a determined step inside the restaurant. I stopped in front of the entrance sweeping the bar with eyes for the dark head and caught a glimpse of the vampire sitting at the bar.

So predictable.

I rolled my eyes and quickly greeted Felix with a wave as I continued my way to Damon. As soon as I was close enough, I leaned an arm on the bar and turned to the side to look at Damon's left profile, who drank his glass of bourbon with a wicked smile.

''It's not a bit early to drink?" I asked more to make an introduction than real concern and Damon threw me a look of malice on the side.

"It's happy hour somewhere." He replied, casually shrugging his shoulders and narrowing my eyes to him.

"Ok, no bullshit." I snapped, going straight to the point, calling out to Damon who put down his glass and turned to face me with a raised eyebrow, questioning. "What do you want with Bonnie?''

''Ah! So little brother sends you to do the dirty work?'' He snickered with a smirk that made me send him a bored glare.

"One, I didn't see your brother. Two, I heard a conversation between Elena and Bonnie. And three, I'm not a stooge."I said, my tone getting harder and harder with every word." So, what brings us back to what you want with Bonnie? ''

"Hum." Hummed Damon in a nonchalant warm breath and I could feel my heart skip a beat. "She has something I need."

Now my interest was stung. I raised an eyebrow expectantly as I waited for him to develop his thought, but he stared at me with his famous arrogant smile.

I rolled my eyes as I slowly approached him with interest. "Care to share? ''

'' You don't know that curiosity kill the cat?'' Damon asked with a carnivorous smile corresponding to his hint but even though I knew he could easily run, I was not ready to give up.

"C'mon, Damon." I said with a smile that I assumed to be good before leaning my head to the side, flirting unconsciously with him."You know you want to tell me."

Maybe I was red like a beet at this moment of daring and flirtatious flirtation, but I could have the recognition to make Damon smile with slight shock and embarrassment as I could see his cheeks light up slightly.

Damon leaned over me with a smirk and murmured, conspirator, "Can you keep a secret? ''

An evil smile penetrated my features as I boldly raised an eyebrow and openly flabbergasted."Come on, you know I'll go tell Stefan every second I get out of this bar."

"I guess I'll just have to kill you." Damon just shrugged, giving me a mischievous look. "To begin, I want Katherine's necklace." He said, quieter.''Imagine, that the ancestor of our dear little local witch, made me a promise. Katherine is alive but locked up for 150 years under Fell Church. To bring her back, I had the power of the comet as well as the necklace of the witch Bennett. Now, you know I don't have the necklace, but I must open the grave. So, you now know my deep, dark secret. My master plan that explains my return."I stared at him incredulously and slightly shocked by what I had just learned and tried to process all the information when Damon continued." I've already spared you, Mila. I will not do it a second time. "

I was fully aware that he was not lying. It was Damon and I was still wondering how I managed to survive most of our interactions, but this time I was not ready to be intimidated so easily.

"I'm really sorry for you." I declared with my gaze softening between pity and contempt. It hit Damon more than a slap as he turned to me with a murderous glare in his eyes."I hope you realize how pathetic you are. I mean, you plan to bring back a girl who played your brother and you. Who is the pure evil and looks exactly like two drops of water to Elena and who will probably inflict all possible evils on this city. I always wondered if you were just bothered or delusional but now, I know you're just pathetic. "

Damon stood now only a few inches away from me, I could smell the smell of his leather, mixed with alcohol and his cologne while he gave me the most lethal look I had seen. "You know that I've torn hearts for less than that."

"I know." I agreed with a long theatrical sigh. "Only you will not do it."

Damon seemed to be resumed by this as he raised an eyebrow, surprised before letting his expression sink into a softer mine. "Mila, you must not say anything."

''What? Now, are you trying to act nice to get your way in my mind?" I broke, slightly irritated by his attempt before frowning, uncertain."Where is my interest in all this? If I don't say anything Stefan will leave and I'll be back to my self-depressive. "

"Just so." Damon replied with a calculating look in his eyes as he knew he could get under Mila. "If I release Katherine, I promise to leave as far from Mystic Falls as possible. If I'm not there then Stefan has no reason to leave. "

'' Would you leave? Just like that?'' I asked skeptically. However, my tone of hope betrayed my thought.

"Just like that." Damon just repeated with a snap of his fingers to illustrate his words.

I was absently staring at the entire Grill as I weighed Damon's words and ran into Jeremy and Jenna who was standing with an unknown man. I frowned, knowing that my conversation with Damon would never end and my lips curled in indecision before sighing.

"I would not say anything." Damon was about to say something, but I quickly stopped him. "I trust you for once, don't just screw up everything."

With that, I was already on the way to the table of Jenna and Jeremy and the mystery man. He had sandy blond hair and seemed to be in his thirties. From what I could see, he seemed to have a slight rustic side to his one-week-old beard, but I could already say he was handsome. Jenna seemed to have noticed it as well as I came up to them to see her huge, charming smile.

Jeremy soon noticed me and took advantage of my arrival to break the discomfort that both adults had aroused with their exchange of glance.

"Oh, here's Mila." Jeremy pulled me to the man who stared at me with a friendly smile."My twin sister."

'' The same Mila who missed my class this morning?"Asked the man with a raised eyebrow, questioning and a slight smile on his lips as I widened my eyes, guilty.

Jenna seemed just as panicked as she looked between me and the man looking for a plausible excuse while I was speechless.

Finally, it was Jeremy who broke the long awkward silence with a chuckle."Usually I'm the one who skipped classes. Believe me, Mila is by far the smartest in the family."

''Well, I can't wait to find out in class."Said the man whose name I still did not know, but I realized he must be Tanner's replacement." I'm Alaric Salztman, a new history teacher. Pleasure to meet you.''

"Welcome to the city." It was all I could find to say as I looked at him slightly uneasily.

I did not really know what I found in this man, but I felt he had a lot of secrets. I had become quite familiar with the secrets myself and knew how to spot people in the same way as I was.

Once again, Jeremy seemed to be my savior today as he turned to ask me to bring him home. I didn't hesitate to jump on the occasion and say my goodbye quickly before going to the side of Jeremy.

The trip to my SUV was totally silent until we were inside. I had just left the parking lot of the Grill as Jeremy turned to me with a suspicious look.

"What was it there?'' He asked, puzzled.

'' Huh? '' I feigned, looking sideways at him.

"Don't tried it to me, Mila." Said Jeremy, bored. He readjusted himself in his seat to better look at me."I know you're rather uncomfortable with the new meeting, but it was almost if you didn't glare at him."

I flinched in a slight anxious laugh."You don't think you're going a bit far."

"See, you're acting strange." Jeremy said with a stare. "You're nervous when you lie or change the subject."

Fortunately for me, the Grill was a few blocks away from ours and I had never been so happy to live so close. From the moment, when I parked in the driveway, I left the vehicle with Jeremy on my steps, always asking me questions.

I ended up turning around, exasperated. "Jer, let it-"

Shouts seemed to be heard from behind our door, and I glanced at Jeremy, who had rushed to the door to open it. Jeremy and I just had time to step aside as Caroline and Elena stumbled in a domino effect.

''You're okay?" Exclaimed Jeremy, stunned as I frowned slightly worriedly.

"This time, I'm leave." Barked Caroline, stepping outside while Jeremy entered the house and I looked at Elena to see her on the phone, visibly panicked.

I immediately approached her to find out what was happening and listened silently to the conversation she was having.

"Emilie took possession of her body and she said something weird." Elena explained on the phone and my eyes widened in comprehension. She was talking about Bonnie and I was willing to bet she was talking to Stefan right now.

'' What did she say? "I was warning but Elena hardly seemed to notice me as she took her coat and made her way outside the house with her phone still in hand.

"She said, and I quote: _I will not let him take it back. It must be destroyed._ And she's gone. "Elena repeated, answering my own question as Stefan must have asked for the same thing.

I was just listening to the rest of the conversation as I was jumping into Elena's passenger seat, not that she had noticed me and buckled my seatbelt.

From the moment Elena was close enough to Fell Cemetery, I jumped out of the car barely stopped and hurried off through the woods. I did not really know the place but I knew I had to hurry.

When I was exploding through the quarry, I could see Damon impaled on a tree branch while Bonnie or Emilie, whatever, was drawing in the ground with a huge stick.

I was running straight for Damon just as Stefan exploded from the edge of the forest and darted towards Damon to help him.

'' How are we going beyond her?"I asked Stefan who was hounding Damon's body and the branch that was holding him to get him out.

"Ow, it hurts," Groaned Damon in pain. "It's to avoid this misery that I feed on human blood."

"It's not really the moment, Damon." I snapped under pressure as Stefan turned to his name agreement.

I glanced at Bonnie, who was still drawing in dirt before turning my attention back to Damon.

"Emilie." replied Stefan, attentive.

Emilie turned to Damon, "These people don't deserve that. They don't have to know such evil power. "

I was trying to help Damon while Stefan was asking absurd questions for the moment. What evil power? Frankly, they were vampires. No saint. Of course, it would be evil. Especially if it was Damon's plan.

Just to prove my point, Damon was quick to speak again. "Emilie, I swear to you before God that you will pay me."

I held him now, Damon at arm's length as he was slowly recovering from his staking and turned with him to Bonnie, Emilie, to find her staring intently at me.

"I will not let you release _them_ at this time." Bonnie condemned, my eyes wide in shock and betrayal as I pushed Damon away from me.

"How much of the story did you leave?'' I spit furiously feeling incredibly stupid for giving him an ounce of confidence.

"Who are you talking about?" Stefan asked at the same time as my explosion before turning to Damon, "What part of the story did you forget to mention?"

'' Oh, but we don't care.'' Scoffed Damon, shrugging.

Stefan immediately turned to Emilie in panic. "Emilie. Tell me what you did. "

"To save her, I had to save them all." Bonnie explained with a look of regret and I widened my eyes in panic.

"You saved all those who were in the church." Grabbing Stefan, putting in words my worst fears and I turned to him with a horrified expression.

"Stefan, tell me that's not what I think." I demanded urgently, not fixing him, but it was Emilie who shouted at me.

"If she comes back, everyone will come back."

My breath caught in the back of my throat as I put the pieces together and I still could not believe that it had all been Damon's plan. He was completely sick beyond words. He could just as well condemn us to death now, it would have the same effect.

I heard Damon stand by my side with some difficulty, and I shivered in his remorse-free tone."I have nothing to do with others. What I want is Katherine. ''

Suddenly, I jumped in surprise as Stefan disappeared in the thin air to reappear before Damon and catch him by the collar of his leather jacket with real hatred in his eyes.

"I should have known you couldn't help but lie. It's not love that motivates you,"Stefan barked in a rage." It was the thirst for revenge. "

"One doesn't stop the other," Damon retorted, leaving me speechless as I watched the two vampires in shock. "In any case, not for me."

"Finally, you can't do that." Tried Stefan still bewildered by the news before shaking Damon hard."Think!"

I saw the change take place in Damon's icy orbs and become a whole shade of anger. I had only seen it once before and had almost lost my life.

Honestly, at this point, I was terrified for Stefan.

Damon tore Stefan's hands out of him in rage and narrowed his eyes angrily, "Why not? They had the blood of 27 people on their hands. And then, they dare call it a battle. They only got what they deserved. "

Stefan seemed as shocked as I was not Damon's statements as he took a slight step back in repulsion and disbelief.

Damon wanted to release 27 vampires all over the city. 27 vampires. I did not know if he was bad or angry but for me it was a sick act. In addition, there were still the founding families and if I remembered well, they were still aware of the vampires. If they had done it once, they could easily do it again.

"It was not 27 ordinary people, but 27 vampires," Desperately explained Stefan, hoping to make a difference but I could see, the pain in Damon's eyes. ''Vampires. You can't afford to bring them back like that. "

"The people of this city have looked for it." Damon said, his gaze trailing quickly over me for a second and I was totally frozen by his statement.

It was totally sick.

"You hold innocent people responsible for a tragedy that happened 145 years ago." Barked Stefan, incredulous and bewildered by his brother's allegations.

"These people are all but innocent." Objected Damon." You have not figured it out yet. We will never be safe again. They already know too much, and they will burn your descendant witch on the same pyre as us. I know it. Believe me!''

I was so shocked by Damon's claims that I only listened to half the rest of the conversation. I was standing there, not knowing how to react when suddenly a kind of red spark rain fell on Bonnie, who was now surrounded by a flame circle rising to a high height. Then, as they appeared, the sparks and flames faded, leaving Bonnie with her head on her chin before she slowly lifted her head, clearly distraught by everything that was happening.

A vicious roar sounded at me and I widened my eyes at the sight of Damon throwing himself on Bonnie and tore in her neck with complete rage.

A shrill, horrified scream echoed around us, but I just could not take my eyes off Damon and Bonnie.

Stefan threw himself at Damon to get him away from Bonnie and I looked helpless and totally panicked as Bonnie's body fell to the floor. The way she had collapsed, the blood. She did not move, blood was everywhere.

Stefan rushed at her, but I was too shaken to even hear what he was saying. Elena rushed in turn and I saw her lips move like Stefan's before he bit deeply into his wrist and brought it to Bonnie's lips.

Vampire blood.

I realized what he was doing and waited, waiting for Bonnie to come back to herself. My gaze dragged on the other person who stood in the distance to watch the scene and I could only feel a pure repulsion towards him.

He seemed almost ... unhappy, in pain. He was pathetic.

I heard a hissing breath, making me run towards Bonnie and I watched with relief and mild euphoria at the sight of Bonnie, alive. The wound on her neck was almost non-existent and my gaze fell on Stefan.

I could see his green orbs going from Elena to me to Damon and I knew what I had to do. I put my hand on Elena's shoulder, drawing her attention to me.

"You should take Bonnie to the car," I said, my tone as gentle and considerate as I could handle, and she nodded frenetically.

She helped Bonnie, who was still shaken by all that had happened, and started walking across the edge of the forest holding Bonnie at arm's length.

I watched the duo when Stefan's voice interrupted me, "You should go with them too."

His gaze trailed at Damon, who was plunging into the forest and I followed his receding back before turning my attention to Stefan with a frown, hard.

"He almost killed her." I declared, the evident despondency in my voice.

"I know," Replied Stefan, solemnly. "Death follows me wherever I go. Elena and you don't have to suffer that. "

"Wait, what do you mean?" I asked, panicked as I deepened my frown in confusion and anxiety before letting the shock overwhelm me in the realization." "I forbid you, Stefan. You have no right. You can't ... you can't leave me. "

I could feel the hollow in my chest grow bigger and bigger as he took a step towards me and the tears were quickly accumulating in the back of my eyes.

"Mila," Said Stefan softly as he put his hand under my chin to make me look at him. I crossed his green orbs saddened and could not help but burst into tears and cling to him.

He closed his arms tightly on me while I let myself completely go into his embrace and could not stop the tears from flowing. It was as if I was reliving all the pain, I had suffered all summer long. I knew I would not be able to go back without Stefan. Not later, never.

"I'm sorry, Mila," Stefan whispered, resting his chin on the top of my head."I should never have entered your life."

I broke away from him, realizing that he was saying goodbye to me and sniffing, wiping my tears from my cheeks. I did not want to cry. I never cried but his departure meant more to me than anyone.

'' That's right. '' Acknowledged bitterness infiltrating my tone despite myself. '' You should never have entered my life. Show me how happy I could be to leave with this perspective. "

The guilt transcended Stefan's features in my hard tone but I did not care. He was going to leave me and I would eventually sink.

I sniffed again, taking a step back and putting my wet eyes on him."You should go see if he didn't kill someone else in his path."

With that, I turned around and started walking like an automaton towards the edge of the forest. I did not even take a single look behind me and just continued my way. If the car had seemed closer to our arrival and well, now it seemed much further. I walked with my arms around me trying not to let the tears drop and had to keep everything in me. I was not ready to show everyone how broken I was by his departure.

Finally, I reached Elena's red car to see her next to Bonnie who jumped at my sudden appearance and I could not really blame her. She had just been attacked by a vampire and Stefan had given his blood so that she could survive.

"Elena, I need to know what's going on." Assured Bonnie, distraught as she turned to Elena.

Elena looked at me expectantly as if I was supposed to do something but at this point it was the last of my concerns. I passed in front of the two girls, catching a worried look from Elena before getting inside Elena's Mini-Cooper and buckled my belt before letting my head fall on the seat at the same time as my silent tears.

I knew it was only a matter of time before I broke down completely and would reach a point of no return. I felt the gaping hole in my chest widen at every step I took to get away from Stefan and the pain was constantly increasing.

I felt like all my bones and organs were broken into several pieces and all I wanted was to scratch my heart outside my chest to stop the pain. Just to stop everything.

It looks like it was Elena's turn to get her farewells as Bonnie got into the car, making me look out the window and see Elena and Stefan in the distance. Once he said his farewells, he would disappear, and it would be like this, he had never existed in the first place. Everything will be like an ephemeral dream and alone, the gaping hole in my chest will be the proof that it existed.

After Elena was back in the car, she too collapsed. She had taken us home and I was now on my bed with my diary in hand. I could hear Bonnie and Elena at the other end of the hall. Elena had decided to tell her everything.

In my opinion, it did not really matter anymore since he was leaving. Tomorrow, he probably would not be there like everything he brought with him.

I looked at the blank page expectantly, not knowing what to write when one of my tears fell on the paper, creating a gaping smudge and that was when I cracked.

I rose abruptly from my bed and threw the diary into the wall with all my strength. I could not hold myself anymore and I felt my knees fall under me.

I fell to the ground with a thud and let the tears overwhelm me. I barely heard my door open as Jenna ran right over me to wrap her arms around my slender build and cradle me in an attempt to comfort me.

Stefan was gone, and my mental health was going with it.


	10. Chapter 10 : Alone

**Chapter ten : Alone**

I descended the stairs at an unimaginable slowness, still dressed in my pajamas and feeling the tiredness of the tears and the lack of sleep take its toll on my body.

Jenna had laid me on my bed after finding me on the floor and was staying with me all night long. She had just wrapped her arm around my abdomen and pulled me towards her. I had to admit that it was unexpected to say the least but also the most reassuring thing I had shared with her for months. My relationship with Jenna had always been difficult... so to speak. She did not handle my silence very well and did not know how to act with me, but last night it was different.

I did not want to leave my bed this morning, but I knew that even if I was broken, I would have to continue living and no matter how I felt. I had to try to overcome Stefan's absence.

So here I am, passing the entrance to the kitchen where Jenna was strangely straining to have breakfast for at least a dozen people and running around the kitchen like a duck without a head. I raised an eyebrow, perplexed crossing my arms over my expectant breast and Jenna jumped slightly at my sight.

"Mila!" She exclaimed, widening her eyes in surprise before taking a concerned expression. "Are you all right? I didn't think you'd wake up soon after ... "

"I'm fine, Aunt Jenna." I assured myself, ignoring her hesitantly shuffling tone and sitting at one of the chairs, looking at the food in confusion. "You've planned to feed a regiment or…''

'' Oh, no, no." Objected Jenna instantly before leaving a tense silence as she resumed an anxious expression making me raise an eyebrow again, interrogator.

I frowned, alerted by her silence and put my eyes on her. "So, food is for? ''

"It's for you." She replied quickly taking me by surprise and I stared at her in confusion. Jenna let out a tired sigh and rubbed her forehead. "That's too much, isn't it? I thought food could help you with the night you spent and maybe you'd like to talk about it. "

I rested my eyes on the food with a frown, debating what I should say and turned my attention back to Jenna.

I did not really want to talk about Stefan. It would only remind me that he was gone and would bring up that silent pain again. But I could try to fix things with Jenna. I was aware of the effort she was providing. It was not her kind to act patient and wait for me to open to her.

No, if there was one thing Jenna was, it was all but patient. I let out a sigh before opening my mouth to speak but was cut by Elena running right to Jenna with a radiant smile.

"Jeremy took out his sketchbook." She announced ecstatically, and I glanced at her excitement even though I was genuinely relieving inside.

'' You're kidding?" Jenna questioned, incredulous with a light smile playing on her rosy lips as she prepared to leave.

'' If I tell you,'' Assured Elena.''But not a word or he will let go of the deal the minute he is encouraged. ''

I rolled my eyes at this and asked if they also had conversations like this about me. It seems that Jeremy and I were the two-time bombs in this house and Elena and Jenna kept watching us diligently.

"I'm a psycho student. Never forget that. "Jenna retorted with a playful tone, making me smile until I saw Elena check her phone with a sad look.

I did not know what had happened to me at that moment, but I stood up abruptly, questioning the two girls and made my way to the stairs, but not without hustling Elena as I passed. "He left. Forgive yourself.''

I climbed the stairs in a sprint after that and could hear the hooked breath in Elena's throat. I was not proud of my brilliance, but it was already difficult without having to watch her moping.

I slammed my door behind me in tantrums and could not stop the tears of anger from flocking. I closed my eyes tight to try to stop them and coughed my jaw in exasperation. I hated crying and even more when I was angry.

Frankly, who was crying angry? Well, me, apparently.

I needed to get over it. If I was going to hold this masquerade, I had to be convincing. I was going to act as if nothing had happened and try to move on without Stefan. Well if it was even possible.

Now, I felt all these mixed feelings and did not find the strength in me to want to continue. All I wanted was to free my anger and resentment that I felt from Stefan. He had let me and took everything in his way. I understood his point, his reasons. He was convinced that we were in danger and wanted more than anything to stay out of harm's way. He would not be the person I respected the most in the world if he did not think like that, but it also meant that I had to lose him.

I would never have thought of attaching myself so much to a person to the point, to feel the lack of their presence. Especially after what happened to my parents.

I never wanted to get noticed and become friends with Stefan. In fact, if I remembered my thought to return it. I did not want to move on with my life, but I had to recognize that with Stefan by my side, I started this process. I started moving forward and now he was leaving. I had to start from scratch.

With a deep sigh, I went to my dresser and exchanged my pair of shorts and my tank top for black skinny jeans and a light blue shirt. I slipped a pair of Vans in a hurry and untied my hair in my back before heading for the stairs.

On my way, I passed Jeremy's room and could not help but stop for the drawn observer. It was something I had always been fond of doing. In a way, it was rather relaxing and most of the time, Jeremy did not mind. I leaned against the doorframe of his room and crossed my ankles like my arms on my chest, staring at him with a small smirk.

'' You know that even if I agree with you watching me, that doesn't make you less a stalker.''Jeremy's voice came up, surprising me slightly as he continued to fire without looking up from his notebook. .

'' In that case, what about Elena?" I mocked back knowing full well that he must have realized that Elena had been watching him.

"Hum ... I would say our prison guard." Jeremy replied, a playful accent to his tone, making me smile.

I made my way to his bed and dropped me on the back, causing a slight rebound before sighing while watching the ceiling. I heard Jeremy put his pencil on his desk and turned in my direction to stare at me with a confused frown. I was fully aware that he was hesitantly watching me as he wanted to say something on his mind but did not know how to take it. If it had been before, he would have asked the question without even thinking about it twice, but I assumed that losing our parents had destroyed more than we could have imagined.

I sighed, tired. "Spit the piece, double. "

Jeremy seemed surprised by my insight but soon recovered quickly as he put his soft brown orbs on me with concern.

"You want to tell me what happened last night? '' Asked Jeremy.

"He's gone, Jer." I whispered in a weak breath."He's gone and I don't know what to do."

'' Who, Mila?"Asked Jeremy as he moved from his desk chair to join me on his bed and I rolled to the side biting the inside of my cheek.

I knew this conversation would lead to nothing but make me think more than I already had.

However, it was an evolution with Jeremy and I was indecisive as to what I wanted. There was just so much that clouded my mind and I did not know which decision was right.

On the one hand, I wanted to move on without Stefan, but on the other, I knew I would probably not be able to do it. I became addicted to him and did not even know how I had let that happen. Of course, all this was purely friendly but on the other hand, it was much worse.

My only friend, who was a vampire was also the only person who could hold me together and he was leaving.

I already thought that my mind was completely screwed up but had much more than that it looks like.

I let my eyes drag on Jeremy to see that he always stared at me expectantly and it was all it took to get up from his bed and wear a stoic expression.

"I'd better go to class." I announced, waving my hands nervously in the air as I headed for the exit."See you at the show."

I had driven straight to high school and was now strolling through the hordes of students to my locker. I held my bag tightly and tried to push my dark thoughts to the back of my mind. I could not let myself be overwhelmed right now, I had to support myself together. At least for a while although it was harder than doing. I refused to depend so much on one person. I did not want.

I felt a tug on my arm and I jumped slightly panic to the familiar voice. "Hi, bitch!"

I widened my eyes and held my chest before quickly leaving a scowl on my face.

"Felix," I exclaimed, hitting him on the arm with annoyance. "You scared me."

"Sorry to cut it for you but ..." Said Felix casually, adopting my rhythm as I turned my attention to him. "You're always freaked out."

"Yeah, you would be too if you knew the truth." I murmured, without thinking with a frown before I widened my eyes in realization and tightened my grip on the strap of my bag in anxiety. .

"What are you still mumbling, Miss. Mute? "Asked Felix by putting his suspicious look on me and I swallowed before shaking my frantic head.

"Uh ... nothing, nothing." I swallowed apprehensively before adjusting my casual tone."Yeah, nothing important."

I quickly looked away as I dialed my locker combo while Felix leaned nonchalantly, arms folded against the locker next to mine and stared down the crowded hallways of students.

"So ..." Felix slurped hesitantly, catching my attention as he looked away."Where is your precious best friend? ''

I stiffened at his simple question by tightening my grip on the padlock in my hand and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

Whenever I thought about leaving, a deep strain of pain was waking up and I did not know if I could last longer. Act as if it did not reach me when in fact I was devastated.

The worst thing about all this was that it was not even a day that he had left.

I took a deep breath before letting the reality flow. "He's gone."

'' Ow! Ow! "Rejected Felix with a double-hold as he stared at me with wide-eyed eyes." How are that, gone? As in gone, gone? ''

"As he's left!" I exploded as I slammed the door of my locker harder than I had anticipated, and turned my head to see that my explosion had alerted several people.

I sent them an exasperated glare and squeezed my books against my chest as I walked with a quick step to get away as much as possible but I could not get very far as Felix caught me and forced me to look at him.

"I'm sorry." He apologized sympathetically, and I looked up to look at him. "How are you doing? ''

"Peachy." I replied hastily, turning already to resume my walk, but Felix shouted at me again with a harsher look."I assure you I'm fine."

"You're going to make me think you're fine while the only person who could hold you together is gone." Insisted Felix giving me a tug in my chest despite his insinuation and I frowned as I passed the doors of the high school for parking.

I turned to face him with a sigh."Listen, can we stop talking about him? Please.''

"I want, but it's going to be complicated." Said Felix distracted with his gaze focused on something else over my shoulder.

I frowned, confused before turning to look at what had caught Felix's attention. I stared at the sight in front of me and pushed my nails into the covers of my books to prevent the dull ache from making me crack.

Elena and Stefan were leaning on the car of the latter and seemed in full discussion when Stefan looked over Elena to meet mine. I could see his decomposed expression probably matching mine and Elena retreated to look at what had caught his attention. A look of understanding passed on her face, but I was too focused on Stefan to pay more attention.

I already thought he was gone and did not understand why he was there. Part of me wanted to scream and jump for joy at his sight but another kept reminding me that he was leaving or to leave and I could not let a smile adorn my lips.

If he was here, it was probably because something had happened, and I knew he had not changed his mind. It had become very clear yesterday and if I had to be honest with myself, I had planned it.

"I thought he was gone?"Intervened Felix, cutting me off in my tacit exchange with Stefan and I looked at him again.

"I have to believe that no." I breathed in a sigh as I supported Stefan's gaze.

I saw Elena go straight to us, but I kept my attention focused on Stefan in the hope that it was not a goodbye. I was torn between taking my legs to my neck and going back inside the school or moving forward and facing him knowing that this could be the last time I saw him.

Elena stopped at my height with a sympathetic look and I put my eyes, dull on her. '' It's not a goodbye yet, Mila. ''

The sadness was evident in her voice even though she was rather relaxed, and I was aware that she was also suffering from Stefan's departure. I did not really know how to react as I threw hesitant glances between Elena, Felix and Stefan.

Finally, I gave a furtive nod at Elena before taking a deep breath and headed for Stefan. I did not know what this conversation would give but I needed to talk to him.

Pathetic but I needed it.

"Hey!" I was uncomfortable as I stopped at his height with a quick wave.

"Hey." Stefan repeated, just as uncomfortable as I was. "I'm sorry. I would have left but I had to warn you and Elena. "

"So, predictable." I murmured, bitter as I leaned against the door of his car before letting my skull bump the window with a bounce.

"Mila ..." Stefan sighed with a worried frown as he copied my position with his arms crossed over his broad athletic chest.

"I know, Stefan." I assured myself, my tone tired as I stared at the floor. "I'm selfish. You should know it now. ''

'' No. You're not."Stefan assured, shaking his head fiercely, making me sigh in defeat before putting his green orbs on me with confidence."You never have been."

"You're probably right. If I had been, I would have forced you to stay here.'' I said, my tone sullen. There was a long silence before I rested my eyes on Stefan to see the guilt infiltrated his features making me sigh. "So, you came to warn us. What is happening?''

"There is a new vampire in the city and he doesn't really care about the body he leaves behind."Annunciated Stefan with a frown in the air before refocusing his attention on me."You must promise me to be careful, Mila."

''Pfff! When was I ever careful, Stefan?" I flinched with a roll of eyes making Stefan lean a look with implied over me.

"I'm serious, Mila." He said with a stern look before resuming. "Damon will handle the problem but in the meantime ..."

'' Hold on, hold on ! Damon? "I cut it in a hurry with a frown as I leaned on the door to face Stefan. ''The same, totally sick Damon who was ready to release twenty or so vampires to the city to recover his love and tend and a little vengeance misplaced? ''

"He seems to have been on a low profile for quite some time." Stefan explained, sporting his pensive expression, "Leave a safe city is the least we can do before we leave."

I made a double-tap at that.

Damon also left the city. I did not know how I felt about it. Although he scared me and tried to kill me most of the time, part of me got used to the presence of the dark vampire and although I would never admit it aloud, he was the one I once again my state of speech.

"Where will he go? "I asked out of pure curiosity, raising a raised eyebrow, surprised Stefan.''What? You don't want to tell me where you intend to go then ... "

"The less you'll know, the faster you'll forget me." Stefan replied, not aiming to hit me so hard.

I wanted to tell him so much that I could never forget him like that or even pass with my life knowing what I could be with him inside but instead, I remained totally stoic despite my slaughtered state and nodded dryly head before giving him a last look and make my way back to Felix who had observed our argument with a watchful eye.

* * *

After my little face to face with Stefan, I was unable to keep a strong forehead in front of Felix and I ended up cracking.

I had so wanted to return home and lock myself between my four safe walls, but Felix had been of a different opinion. According to him, I needed to keep myself busy and tried to rely on him now. I was aware that with that, our friendship had evolved a notch and I still did not know if I was so quick to replace Stefan. With what had happened today, I knew that a part of him was incapable of not worrying and I was hoping that a great danger was waiting for us because it meant that he would remain at home, at our sides. I was not ready to give him up and I did not want to.

That was why I had agreed to accompany Felix to this damn expo fair.

I still had no idea of my future and more, I thought about it and more, I became more and more terrified by this prospect. I had no idea what I wanted to become or even bring with my existence.

It was really atypical for someone like me, having a GPA of 4.0 but I really did not know what I wanted to become and I was convinced that it was not stupid booth that would help me understand this that I wanted to do with my life.

That was why I managed to escape from Felix and left him at the medicine stand to survey the hallways in thought when I spotted Jeremy and none other than Tyler Lockwood near the booth of arts. For Jeremy, it's was predictable but Tyler, that was new.  
I was heading to both while they seemed to have argument, which was not a real surprise. I shook my head once I was up to Jeremy, watching Tyler's fleeing back before turning my attention to my other half.

"You know that your testosterone clashes are starting to get old." I said wearily as I crossed my arms over my chest, an eyebrow knowingly arched.

"It's him." Jeremy contented himself to reply, showing a quality drawing, visibly taken aback by this new information, and I leaned over the table to look at the painting with admiration.

"You have to believe you're not that different." I said, flippant as I straightened up before being stopped by a familiar back.

"Please, he's an asshole."

I was not even paying attention to Jeremy as I was looking with a frown on his back and raised a finger in the air to inform Jeremy to hold on before starting to walk towards the athletic build.

I stopped at his side, crossing my arms over my chest, and leaned against the opening of the door, silently watching what Stefan was watching from a distance.

Elena and Matt stood near the booths to chat in a friendly manner. I had no doubt Stefan was listening to all of what they said, but I did not comment.

"I guess you're here to watch over us." I concluded, ignoring the buzz of contentment that he was still here and no, far away already.

"Mila, I know what you think, and you know it will not happen." Stefan said wearily, wiping out the semblance of a smile on my face and nodding sadly in acceptance.

"It doesn't cost anything to try." I lightened with a shrug as I walked through the aisles with my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

'' You never told me about your plans. '' Mused Stefan while followed me and I turned my head to stare at him in confusion. '' You know all my cravings for medicine, but we have never talked about your projects. Tell me everything. What is our gifted Mila, want to become? ''

I frowned in exasperation before sending a glare to Stefan's attention, "Can we avoid acting like you're not leaving, and everything is normal between us."

I did not give him the chance to add to that as I accelerated the pace and left him in the middle just to have it challenged by Elena. I did not want to continue like this. This game of cat and mouse made me feel more tired than I wanted to admit, and I knew that my emotions had never been so much in demand.

I had continued to advance without ever stopping and did not even realize that I had already toured all the booths and found myself now at my starting point. I looked around, in the corridors where I had once spotted Stefan when my eye caught a different show.

At the entrance Stefan was once again except this time he was not alone. I stared at Logan Fell himself and soon put the pieces together. I had watched Damon kill him in cold blood and Vicki feed on his blood. He was supposed to be dead and not healthy with that irritating smile. My worry became much more alarming when I saw Elena and Jenna making their way to the two men before Elena pulled Jenna away with a worried look at Stefan.

I took a determined step to join them and swallowed before stepping to Stefan's side, gathering a worried look from Stefan while Logan turned to me with a scary smile.

"If she's not the best friend of my infuriating little nephew." Acknowledged Logan with a smirk."Of course I doubt he knows you're sympathetic to vampires."

'' What are you doing here?" I was irritated by his mere presence.

"His brother asked me the same question." He replied, turning arrogantly towards Stefan. "Besides, what I propose to do is skip the moment you ask me: _Who transformed you?_ to go directly to what interests me. How to live again in the light of day? "

I cast a worried look at Stefan as the latter shrinks his gaze on the new vampire. '' To my knowledge, only Damon and I are able. ''  
Liar.

I knew what he was doing and when he glanced at me, I knew he was waiting for me to follow in his game as I looked back at Logan.

''The question remains unanswered. Which makes me comfortable with the idea that there is a way."Insisted Logan, incredulously, and I bit hard in my cheek so as not to reply a sarcastic remark." You know. You may not have noticed it. But I am what is called a celebrity in this city. If I felt like it, I would have no trouble putting you in danger. "

"Not without exposing yourself." I spat in a whisper, taking a threatening step, and Stefan immediately appeared, waving his arm in front of me to get away from Logan, who was staring at me with a carnivorous smile.

"What do you want to know is how to support the light of day? '' Quickly stepped in Stefan to refocus the vampire's attention on him and pushed me further back.

"Exactly." Agreed Logan following Stefan's gesture of protection with undisguised interest.

Stefan adopted the darkest and most threatening expression I had seen and for the first time, I actually saw him as a vampire. It was a shine I had no desire to receive.

"You can't." Scoffed darkly Stefan in a low, threatening tone. "And never again do you think you're going after me. It's clear.''

I felt his hand shake my arm as he literally dragged me by his side and pulled me as far as possible from Logan. I could easily see the anger and frustration seeping into his features as he dragged me with him to the exit before turning and tacking, eventually stopping in front of me.

"Do you have a death wish? "Exploded he approaching me with his hands raised in exasperation, making me take a step back by surprise.

'' Excuse me? "I returned with slight confusion and amazement as I stared at him as I crossed my arms over my chest.

"What you did was thoughtless." Stefan sneered, shaking his head in indignation."You should never have intervened or be present in the first place. Logan is a vampire now and a danger to you. "

"It wouldn't be the first time I would be the target of a vampire." I retorted with an expression bored by his sermon. I felt like a child being fought for a whim and I really hated that feeling.

"It's not a game, Mila." Barked Stefan, frustrated. "Do you realize at least? ''

"What I realize is that you should be calling Damon and telling him to bring back his arrogant vampire butt instead of scolding me like a child." I answered confidently, raising my chin to show that I will not post my positions.

Stefan stared at me for a moment in tense silence as he struggled internally before finally sighing heavily and pulling his phone out of his jeans pocket and quickly dialing Damon's number, making me smile in victory.

"Put the speaker on, everyone doesn't have a supernatural hearing."

Stefan sent me a bored glare as Damon's furious voice was heard through the cell phone. "Logan Fell is a vampire. Wait a minute that I find this one. I'm going to tear off the limbs ... "A rumpled sound of tissue was heard followed by a sigh." One after the other. "

'' What happened? Are you okay? "Stefan asked, looking at the screen with a frowning lace of real concern for his demonic brother and I rolled my eyes at Damon's threat.

''No. I'm not. I fell into an ambush like a blue. I had my skin punctured."Damon objected, making me smile in contentment at the thought of his suffering before rolling my eyes at his dramatic act."But here I am going to tell you. Revenge will hurt. "

'' First, calms down on the vendetta, demonic Vampire. Logan is already in high school, by the way. "I interposed my hand on the back of Stefan's to bring the phone closer to my face.

"Little Gilbert? "Damon questioned, visibly surprised by my irruption and I rolled my eyes at silly nickname before returning my attention on the screen." Wait, it's a joke? What's he doing in high school? ''

I looked up at Stefan expectantly, crossing his green orbs before he turned his attention back to the screen as well. "He unleashes the crowd."

"Okay, I'm coming right now." Was Damon's instant response before the tone was heard announcing that he had hung up.

"He's just not-" I turned at the same time as Stefan to meet Elena's inquisitive gaze.

"You would not have something to say to me."

I swallowed while watching Stefan anxious knowing that nothing could be done to avoid Elena and looked back at her in the slight panic.

"Yeah ... uh ..." I let myself be on the hunt for an exit before turning back to Stefan. "Stefan will explain to you."

As soon as the words had left my lips, I snuck away from the couple and walked quickly to the high school.

* * *

I crossed the parking lot on alert and looked around me looking for a possible sick vampire but was stopped by something else. I widened my eyes wide before I started running at the sight of the Mayor throwing his own son on Jeremy shouting to him to fight.

"Jeremy!" I cried, stopping at their high and the three boys put their attention on me.

It seems that I was not the only one to have been questioned by the mayor's act as Mr. Saltzman made his way visibly alerted by the sight and stood facing Tyler's father. "What's going on? I said what's going on here? "

"I help them settle their dispute, that's all. Everything is fine. Go back inside!'' Ordered the Mayor visibly irritated by our interruptions and I stared into disbelief.

"You were forcing them to fight. That's not what I call settle a dispute. "I sneered with slight impertinence as I took a step beside my twin while Tyler shook his head in ... fear towards me.

"How dare you talk to me like this? Sassy little one."Barked Mayor Lockwood as he took a step forward just to be stopped by Mr. Saltzman.

'' Whoa! Whoa! I want to know what's going on here? And now."Mr Saltzman demanded, arresting the Mayor and glared at him anxiously.

"Who do you think you are dealing with?" The Mayor shouted with pretense and contempt. "I look like one of your students."

'' No." Refused the history teacher as he straightened up more confidently." "You look like an old fool who plays the dominant male."

I was laughing at the same time as Jeremy and quickly hid it with my hand against my mouth while Tyler seemed clearly flabbergasted by Mr. Saltzman's insult. It was obvious that the Lockwood man should not be used to someone telling him what he was thinking in the face.

"I forbid you to talk to me like that," The Mayor exploded, glaring at us, "I can get you fired by snapping my fingers."

This time, I lost my smile in real anxiety for the teacher who was simply helping Jeremy and Tyler and widening his eyes in worry before allowing confusion to appear on my features as Mr. Saltzman laughed openly on the Mayor's nose.

'' Don't bother. Do it and it will be our turn to set our differences on a parking lot.'' Challenged the professor confidently and I looked at the mayor with attention as he seemed to be resuming. '' You would be leaving. ''

There was a long silence as the mayor observed us in turn visibly much less proud before he narrowed his eyes on Mr. Saltzman with bitterness.

"I have you in the crosshairs." the Mayor unnecessarily yelled for a good measure before turning to Tyler with a shine and beckoning him to follow him.

I followed the fleeing backs of the two Lockwood's with contempt as Mr. Saltzman made his way towards us and looked at Jeremy and me attentively.

'' You're fine ? '' Mr. Saltzman asked, his tone seeming really preoccupied and I kept watching him carefully, always feeling a reserve on the teacher while Jeremy just sighed as an answer.

I knew that after what he had done, he deserved more than a sigh in response so I turned to him despite my doubts and gave a weak smile in gratitude.

'' Thank you, Mr. Saltzman.'' I thanked him with a slight reserve and he nodded with a polite smile.

"You can call me Ric, Mila." Informed Mr. Saltz-Rick and I nodded before turning to Jeremy with concern.

"Do you want me to bring you back? "I said wanting to go back but Jeremy shook his head, looking over Ric's shoulder with interest.

'' Your choice. I'm going to look for Felix and see, if he wants a ride."I told him, walking backwards before putting my eyes on Ric." See you in class, _Ric_. "

I passed through all the orientation booth looking for Felix but could not find him anywhere. It was as if he had just disappeared.

My instinct for panic reappeared knowing that Logan was still running and talking about Felix rather when the phone's own ringing made me jump. I took the cell phone out of my jeans pocket and looked at the screen to see that I had two text messages. I unlocked the device and opened the envelope with touch.

 _ **Felix: Impossible to find you. I came back with your sister's friend, Bonnie, but you owe me that, slut! In fact, you owe me a lot! Remember!**_

I shook my head knowing that I was probably the worst friend he could have before looking at the other message that, to my surprise, was Stefan's.

 _ **Stefan: You're right. I can't choose for you and say that I am acting for your own sake when it's not. I decided to stay, Mila. I want to stay for you and Elena.**_

I shook my phone clearly relieved before taking my car keys out of my jacket. I suspected that Elena must be the reason for this change of heart and part of me envied her for being Stefan's piercing voice of wisdom. Usually, it was to me that this privilege returned, and it was rather disappointing to know that my arguments had not been enough to retain him.

However, he remained, and I could feel some of the tug of pain subsiding with the news. I had to talk to Stefan by the next morning but in the meantime, I was not going to stay here for a minute longer.

Most of the students had already returned and the booths were becoming more and more threatening as I walked towards the parking lot. I was in a hurry not really liking the empty parking and unlocked the doors of my SUV in a hurry. The turn signals were the only source of light as the rattling was the source of noise except my jerky breaths and my footprints. I pulled the door open with relief and peeked around me before locking myself securely into my truck.

I made contact and soon made my way to the small roads of Mystic Falls. I kept a hand on the steering wheel as I played with the buttons on my radio player and searched for a catchy song when I almost missed a red light.

I pounded in a hurry making me let out a little scream as I caught myself on the wheel before bouncing against the back of my seat.

My hair was still flying in the air because of the shock and I was blowing a bit of my mouth before looking slightly shaky inside the cabin. Nothing had moved, the music was still playing in the background, the engine was still purring under the hood and alone, my jerky breaths could be heard. I quickly picked up my mind when a horn brought me back to reality and pulled the gear lever off before turning to the left to enter a long deserted road, or at least that was what I thought.

I looked in the rearview mirror to find that the car that had followed me at the red light had changed course and realized that I was now alone on the road. I kept both hands on the wheel, not being ready to repeat the stunt that I had just shot and glanced unceasingly on the road.

I thought I was free of any stunts for the evening but it turned out I was wrong as I had to pound again at the sight of a body lying on the ground. I stayed speechless for a moment, recovering my spirits before squinting my eyes through the windshield to look at what was on the road. He was obviously a body, but he did not seem to breathe at all.

It would have been several weeks earlier, I would have gone down without hesitation but with what happened the last time I got out of my car to help my neighbor, I was less able to reproduce it.

Finally, after a few minutes of observation and a long, bored sigh, I unfastened my seatbelt and opened my door to get out.

This was my first and last mistake.

I had barely passed the front of my car that I noticed that the body had simply disappeared. With wide eyes, I was trying to get my SUV back in a sprint just to be pulled back violently before being flipped and thrown against my door. I let out a scream at the sight of the familiar vampire face of the man before shouting even louder when he abruptly turned my head to the side to reveal my neck and plunge his head back before pushing his fangs into my neck.

The pain of the fangs piercing my skin like a needle shredding flesh was worse than anything I had ever felt, and I could feel the blood being drained from my body just like my life.

I tried to struggle but he closed his grip on my shoulders, probably leaving bruises. After a few seconds, I was not really a match for him and I could feel my eyes rolled inside my skull.

It was the end and I knew it.

I was going to die on this road and would serve as a snack for this unknown vampire. Or at least, that was what I thought until the vampire suddenly pulled his fangs and abandoned me like a common ration bag. I slid down the door, not even able to bring my hand to stop my clotting when I felt another pair of arms catch up with me.

'' Mila? Mila! Look at me! "I heard a familiar voice through the mist as I felt myself shaking."Mila, I need you to open your eyes."

I was doing exactly that and whispered in exhaustion my next words. '' U-a vam-it was a vamp ... ire.''

"Hey, Mila! Mila! "I managed to hear before feeling my head roll on my shoulder by itself, revealing my torn neck. "Shit, he didn't miss you. Hey, Mila. I forbid you to die in my arms. Mila."

I was shaken a little longer before a strange smell came back to my nostrils followed by a horrible rust on my lips and tongue." Oh! Saint Stefan's going to throw a tantrum."

It was the last thing I remembered before falling into the gaping hole of unconsciousness.


	11. Chapter 11 : Better to Lie

**Chapter eleven : Better to lie  
**

The first thing I felt in my recovery state was the incessant buzzing in the back of my head. It was like I was under a steamroller and my head was about to explode.

The more I focused on my pain and the more I could feel it extended throughout my body, especially my neck.

Unconsciously, I brought my hand to my neck, always keeping my eyes closed when another sound interrupted me or rather a sensation. I could hear the roar of an engine as well as jolts. I tried to relax my legs but finally met an empty surface.

In panic, I flicked my eyes open by placing my hands on each side of my body to try to straighten myself. I was obviously punching a lot harder than I thought because I took a long time to realize that I was currently in a moving car.  
It was not mine since the last time I was approaching my SUV was when I stopped in the middle of the road at the sight of a man on the ground and then ... I could not remember.

I widened my eyes in panic at my loss of consciousness and turned my head to the side to widen my eyes even more as I moved back as far as possible in my seat.

"Hello."Said Damon cheerfully with a smirk, exasperating.

'' What is it ... Damon?" I exclaimed, bewildered before grimacing again at the throbbing pain in my neck and bringing my hand to my neck.

I frowned at the feeling of a dried liquid, crunching almost under my fingers and rubbing the tips of my fingers together, inspecting the liquid I had recognized as blood.

"He didn't miss you. I really thought you were going to die in my arms and that would probably be the case without my blood in your system." Damon intervened, scary as hell as he gave me a side glance while driving with one hand.

"It was a vampire." I remembered in a sort of flashback before I turned to the jet-black vampire with eyes wide of shock. "Your blood? ''

"Obviously." Agreed Damon, totally ignoring my horrified state, frowning, "Although I'm wondering who this vampire is because that idiot of Logan is dead."

'' You gave me your blood!'' I exclaimed outraged, turning completely to him in disbelief.

"It's a given." Damon replied, rolling his eyes nonchalantly."Now we just have to watch you so that you don't die in the next 24 hours. We don't want another baby vampire on our hands, right? ''

I could not believe what I heard. The nonchalant tone with which he spoke. He gave me his blood. His fucking vampire bloods. I had never thought of becoming a vampire and I sincerely hoped that the question would never arise. I did not want to be a vampire. I was not made for that.

'' A given? One ... stop the car. Now!" I screamed indignantly when a swell of nausea was felt in the pit of my stomach."Damon, stop the car. Believe me, you'll want it too. "

I held my belly gagging quickly and I saw Damon wide-eyed alertly out of the corner of his eye."Little Gilbert, I forbid you to throw up in my car."

He gave a dry steering wheel to the side and was quick to park the car on the roadside. He had barely stopped the engine as I was bursting out of the cockpit and barely three steps before I threw all the contents of my stomach into the ditch. The liquid acre grated my throat and I had not felt so weak in a long time.

I felt a chilling wind briefly my cold sweats before I jumped slightly at the feeling of hands in my hair.

'' There. There."I heard over my croaking and took a step back in the realization before wiping my lips with a flick of my hand and shooting a cold glare on Damon.

'' Don't touch me. You've done enough already."I gasped with bitterness while leaning on the door of his car.

"Oh, c'mon Mila, don't be like that. I saved your life, you know."Damon moaned, coming closer to me with a fake friendly smile as I narrowed my eyes at him in exasperation.

"Why don't you let him finish me, huh? Why did you take me with you?" I was suspicious as I leaned on his door to straighten up before frowning. '' Where are we, anyway? ''

"Let's say I owed you one. Then you were there, damsel in distress, I couldn't miss an opportunity to act like the hero." He replied sarcastically, waving his eyebrows with a smirk that made me glare at him with boredom."And to answer your question, we are in Georgia."

The hint of the hero was very clear, but that was not the thing that interested me the most. I still did not know why he saved me or even why he took me with him. As he had shown many times. Damon was still unpredictable when it came to me. I really did not know what he was planning but if I followed my instinct it did not bode well.

"Geor… Georgia?" I exclaimed, wedging the word between puffs in disbelief and pinching the deck of my nose wearily before standing in front of him. "I suppose a return to Mystic Falls is not possible. ''

'' Ah, you think so. '' Sing-song Damon lucidly pointing at me with a smirk before leaning his head towards the car.'' Get in! Hurry. ''

I let out a deep sigh of annoyance following his receding back before shaking my head, tired and making my way into the cockpit.

Obviously, I was not going to get any answer and it was out of the question that I was going to hitchhike.  
During the trip, I realized that Damon had managed to get my phone and carried it all the time. I suspected that had to do with the fact that Stefan would realize my disappearance from one minute to the next and that Damon did not want him to join us.  
Currently, I found myself watching the surrounding landscapes through the transient window and could not find a positive point in this trip.

It was weird to find myself at Damon's side and act like he had not tried to kill me on several occasions.

I brought my hand to my forefinger for the purpose of playing distractedly with my ring to soothe my nerves but widened my eyes instead when I realized it was gone. I felt tugging tugs inside my chest and could feel the blood flowing much faster in my veins to my growing panic. I began to search frantically around me, alerting Damon who raised an eyebrow while sizing me aside.

'' Where is it?" I murmured frantically. My voice becoming more and more torn as my search failed.'' No, no, no! Not that! C'mon!''

I leaned on my feet as I got up to the limit my seatbelt allowed and felt the leather seat like a drug-addict.

This ring was all that was left of my mother and I had enough months before even being able to reach it so it was out of the question that I would accept that I had lost it. It was impossible that I could have lost it.

'' Whoa! Calm down, Catty-cat. "Damon interjected with a frown and a smirk, but I barely noticed him as I leaned over and opened his glove box while frantically murmuring in search of my ring."Hey, Mila!"

I broke my stern look at Damon at his faint glare and narrowed my accusing eyes on him. '' Where is it? ''

"A little imprecise, don't you think?" Damon replied, raising a puzzled eyebrow without ever taking his eyes off me.

Right now, I did not care that we were getting into a car and his hands were on the wheel. This ring meant a lot more to me than anything.

"My ring, idiot." I broke in exasperation. "Give it back to me. Now.''

I watched in almost desperate ways as Damon dropped the steering wheel with one hand to reach the inside of his leather jacket and pulled out my precious ring with the most execrable smile I knew.

I immediately raised my hand to reach him but as the most detestable person he was, Damon removed the ring back with a jingle of his tongue.

"Why are you so eager to get it back?" He asked teasingly as I remained silent glaring at him.

It was out of the question that I was going to share the meaning this ring had for me.

To this day, only Stefan knew its real importance and I was planning to keep it that way. It was not because Damon had supposedly saved my life and kidnapped me for a drive, I was suddenly going to be friendly.

I was not friendly and even less so with Damon Salvatore. On my list of my enemies, he was ranked first and well, second. The vampire who had tried to kill me last night and would have succeeded if Damon had not intervened had taken his place at the top of the list.

I was trying to reach him again but he pulled his hand back with a smile all the greater as he took pleasure in annoying me.

"Give it to me, Damon!" I ordered with a frown, but he just kept it in his hand and returned to his observation of the road.

"That wouldn't have to do with the fact it's being soaked with vervain, isn't it?" I blinked at his allusion and accusing tone before frowning.

The fact that it was soaked with vervain was the last of my thoughts. I did not care that he could compel me. At this point, only the ring was important to me.

"Believe me, this is the last of the reasons I can think of."I was trying to get it in a tone of hope before sighing and begging him." Please, I promise you I will not do anything to hurt your precious diabolical plan. All I want is to get it back. "

Damon glanced at me sideways, incredulous before frowning at my most honest expression. It was the truth. I did not care about anything he could do to me, if I had the ring on me.

I knew that this behavior was irrational, but we had already established that I was anything but rational.  
"Why is this ring so important to you?" Damon questioned, putting his eyebrow on the jewel between his fingers as he really wanted to know but I knew him well enough to know he did not care.

Everything was only games and distraction with him and I would be the most stupid of humans if I let myself be had by his act. I was maybe irrational, but I was not stupid.

"Why do you even bother asking the question?" I retorted boldly, gauging my ring between his fingers with envy.

I felt naked without it and the feeling grew in the hollow of my chest as the minutes passed.

"Obviously, it's important to you. I'm curious." He justified himself laconically, simply lifting his shoulders with a suggestive eyebrow.

I crossed my arms over my chest, glaring at him with boredom before sighing wearily.

"Stefan give it to me." I lied in an attempt to get past the subject and get it back, but Damon was much more lucid than I thought as he made a loud buzzer sound from the back of his throat and looked at me with a falsely exaggerated look.

"You lied!" He exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, banging my head against the seat and rolling my eyes in irritation. '' I'm even more curious. ''

"Make as you wish." I snapped, keeping my gaze on the road, but that was not counting on Salvatore's stubbornness.

''Fine. '' Hailed Damon, impassive, calling me as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders, ''It's not that important anyway. ''

I watched him grit my teeth as he replaced the ring inside his leather jacket with a smug smile and felt indignation running through my veins.

I had never met someone so irritating in my life.

"Seriously? '' I exclaimed, outraged, widening my eyes incredulously. '' Blackmail?''

Damon rolled his eyes exasperating me even more. "Immediately, the big words." He mocked with a smile.

"Can't you be infuriating for just a minute?" I sputtered broadly, scowling, making Damon turn to me with a smirk.

"Why is this ring so important to you?" He insisted, playing with my nerves, and I sighed, raising my arms to the ceiling before turning my gaze back to the window and the landscapes that were passing by.

If he was going to be like that then I could play his little game very well. I was not going to let myself be so easily. Me too, I could play his little game and without bragging, I had some patience hide.

Although the lack was still there, and I kept looking at my naked finger every five seconds, I managed to remain silent for the rest of the ride.

Damon had been wearing a perpetual, smirk all the way and had not stopped staring at me, gauging my reactions with almost, interest, see ... consideration. I suspected it was just the fruit of my imagination, but I really felt that his way of acting without feelings was just an act of despair, that it was not true him.

Finally after a long, unbearable silence, I reached my limit. I really did not do the silence with anyone.

'' Okay! Where are we going like this?" I exploded, turning to Damon in expectation of a real answer. '' And don't answer me by another question or Georgia, okay.''

''Ha, ha! You spoke."Lashed mocking Damon, pointing at me like a five-year-old, and I tilted my head to the side, raising my eyes to the sky in disbelief.

''Mature. Very mature. " I said in a flat tone with pure lassitude and narrowed my eyes on him insistently.

Damon stared at me with a smug smile before sighing at my persistence, unconsciously smirking at me."In a village just outside Atlanta."

''What's so important there?" I asked with a frown forgetting for a moment that I was talking to the most devilish and manipulative person I knew.

"Where would be the surprise if I told you?" Damon snapped, teasingly, fully enjoying his knowledge as I scowled at this childish act.

* * *

 _ **POV Stefan  
**_

It was not normal. He had had no contact with Mila since yesterday and the situation with Elena did not help.

Even though the brunette did not want to talk to him about Katherine's discovery, Elena had called him to report Mila's worrying absence.  
There had been no sign of the brunette in Mystic Falls. Stefan made sure of that. He was even with her friend Felix, who was also worried about Mila's disappearance.

And as if that was not disturbing enough, Damon had also disappeared. In any other circumstance, Stefan would have been happy about his brother's departure, but in this case it did not bode well.

He had to find Mila. That's why he was currently on his way to Bonnie. The witch recognized him and continued walking beside him.

"Bonnie!" Hail Stefan, stiff knowing that the witch was now aware of his secret.

'' Stefan!" Bonnie in her turn, visibly suspicious and somewhat frightened.

It was not exactly what Stefan had imagined when he returned to Mystic Falls. He had never wanted to involve anyone, but if he had to be honest with him, he knew that as soon as Damon had set foot in Mystic Falls, everything would be much more complicated. He was perfectly aware of it. It has been the same for over 150 years now.

"Hi!" He greeted feeling awkward with this stiff presentation.

"Hi!" Bonnie repeated, as awkward and stiff as Stefan.

Stefan pocketed his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he swallowed before casting a worried look at the brunette. "I hadn't seen you for a long time. How are you? It's better?''

The surprise was transparent on Bonnie's face as she stared at him open-mouthed before swallowing and shaking her head feverishly.

"Uh ... I'm fine." Bonnie replied, shaking her head, more to convince herself than Stefan,"Everything is fine."

"Cool!" Stefan said, still clumsy.

He really hated that kind of situation. It reminded him of the beginning of his friendship with Mila. There had been moments of silence between the two but fortunately for him, the young Gilbert had always had a gift to put him at ease. This simple memory was enough to remind him why he had gone to meet the descendant Bennett in the first place.

"Yeah," Bonnie said with a slight frown before allowing another awkward pause to settle in and take a hesitant look at Stefan. "Are you coming back to class?"

Stefan paused in his step at the simple question of the brunette and resumed his serious expression."In fact, I came to high school because I knew I would find you. I have a service to asked you. "Bonnie raised a suspicious eyebrow at the expectation of clarification." Regarding your powers. "

"Stefan." Said Bonnie, taking a really concerned expression. "I know that this whole story is no problem for Elena or even Mila, and I can't thank you enough for what you did for me, but I don't feel ready for that yet. "

Honestly, Stefan expected that.

It was difficult to learn about his world, but when you learned how to do it, it was even more difficult.

In fact, after what happened, he thought Bonnie was really managing the situation well. Without his blood, she would be dead now and even though he did not want to count on it, he knew he had to support.

It was about Mila now and if Stefan had to be honest with himself, he recognized the importance that young Gilbert had for him. She had helped him and accepted him without hesitation since the beginning of all this.

He had never felt such a connection with a human since a long time apart from Elena and even if the death of Lexi had annihilated him, he knew that without Mila it would not have been the same thing. He felt that blameless need to protect her and be there for her no matter what.

'' I totally understand. Believe me."Stefan agreed." But I need you to help me. It's Mila, she's gone. Just like Damon and I'm afraid he's the reason for her disappearance. "

The shock and fear were very clear on Bonnie's face as she stared at Stefan in disbelief. She could not believe her ears. Mila was alone with Damon and nobody had any idea where she could be. After what had happened with Damon, she knew how of a big sicko that he was and if she had been of no defense against the vampire, she was convinced that Elena's younger sister, would be even less so.

Bonnie had never really been closed to young Gilbert but that did not mean she did not care for her. She was Elena's little sister after all, and she knew how important she was to her best friend. Especially, that Elena had suffered enough misfortune and death according to Bonnie.

'' How did this happen?" Bonnie asked in concern as she sat down at one of the tables in front of the school.

"I don't really know." Replied Stefan, anxious. "I brought you a scarf that she left at the boarding house. I thought you might be able to get in touch with her. All I want is to make sure she's fine. "

He knew that he had risked because it was not really a precious object for Mila, but it was all he had of the brunette. If he had the choice, he would have taken her ring belonging to her mother, but she would always have it with her and in a sense, it comforted him. He knew that inside the ring Mila had chosen to hide the vervain he had given her.

Even though she was alone with Damon, she still had a backup and at that point it was the only thing he could hang on to.

Bonnie gauged the scarf that Stefan was holding in his hand, raising a dubious eyebrow at the vampire's attention. "Why do you seem to believe I can do that?"

"Because I knew a lot of witches and I saw what they were capable of." Assured Stefan, wishing a total trust in the witch's gifts.

"It's still new to me." Bonnie warns, doubting her own abilities.

"It doesn't matter." Stefan said, handing the scarf for Bonnie to take."Do what you can."

Bonnie took the scarf that Stefan handed her and nodded slowly in apprehension. She was not sure of her abilities, let alone what happened with Damon.

She knew something was wrong with her since that night, but she had to try. For Elena and especially, for Mila.

'' OK, let's go.''

The witch tightened both hands on the scarf, closing her eyes before focusing on the young Gilbert. She was waiting to feel a kind of feeling or even a vision but after a few minutes, nothing was happening.

She opened her eyes with a frown and met Stefan's hopeful gaze.

"I didn't feel anything." She declared slightly worried and disappointed, disturbing all the more Stefan."Nothing at all, usually something happens, a vision or something." She bit her lip in hesitation before taking a pensive look."Tell me if anyone is looking."

Stefan looked expectantly as Bonnie leaned over the table to catch a dead leaf on the floor and put it on the table before raising her hand over it.

He did not really know what the witch was trying to accomplish, but his anguish with Mila was all the stronger now.

"C'mon, Bonnie." Stefan heard Bonnie murmur, making him frown, confused.

Bonnie frowned in turn, taking a concentrated expression, almost in pain, and raised both her hands above the leaf. He could see her tongue protruding slightly from her lips as she seemed to be concentrating with difficulty on her task but did not succeed.

'' What? " Stefan asked, alarmed by the girl's expression.

Bonnie raised her green orbs on Stefan. '' This time for sure. There's something wrong. "

"With Mila?"Asked Stefan immediately in the slight panic but Bonnie nodded negatively.

'' No. There is something wrong with me. Listen."Bonnie suddenly got up from her seat, picking up her things in a hurry, and looked apologetically at Stefan." I must go. I'm sorry Stefan, you'll have to do without my help. ''

Stefan looked puzzled at the fleeing back of the brunette as she began to run and knew that Mila's fate was even more disturbing.

* * *

 _ **POV Mila  
**_

'' What did you do with my car?" I asked, suddenly worried about the last present from my parents.

They offered it to me a month before their untimely death, and even if it was just a car it was a lot more to me than a car. I cared about this truck almost as much as my ring.

"I left it off the road," Damon replied, briefly taking his eyes off the road.

"You do what?" I cried out, bewildered by turning to him completely with wide eyes.

Damon rolled his eyes, already repeating what I had heard, making me die of the desire to strangle him to death.

"I understood the first time." I cut him scornfully. "That vampire. Did you know him? ''

"I can't know him if I've never seen him." Damon retorted with a bored-eyed roll, "You know, we don't have parties between us at Vampire Grill."

I raised an eyebrow in disbelief and total annoyance at these exasperating little squares and sighed heavily as I put my head back on the leather seat frame before feeling Damon's eyes piercing holes in my skull.

"Eyes on the road, silly. Human on board."I warned with a bored eye roll.

Damon was really dangerous. It was driving too fast for my taste and every turn, I thought my time had arrived. After what happened with my parents, dying in a car accident, was the last thing I wanted.

My simple request was enough to smugly smile the vampire who gave me a side glance with mischief. '' Fear of speed? ''

"Only when I'm driving with a sick psychopath who would survive if we had an accident." Exploded I, tired of taking all his teasing.

I had not really had a good night's sleep for months and finding myself on a long drive with Damon was all I needed to crack. I waited with apprehension for his answer when he entered a small town and soon parked in front of a small bar with a sign worthy of small towns.

 **Bree's Bar.**

I gauged the bar in pure disbelief and indignation before turning to Damon, narrowing my dark bluish eyes on him.

"Did you take me here to go to a bar?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest in exasperation.

"Relax a little, Mila." Intime Damon removing the keys from the contact. "C'mon, dead time. You're young, have fun! " I raised an eyebrow annoyed by his fake cheerful tone. '' Let it go a little. Trust me, your problems will always be there when you get back. "

'' That's the problem, I don't trust you.'' I replied immediately without even thinking and I thought I saw a passing moment of pain on Damon's face, but as it had appeared, it was so fast left. I sighed as I looked at the doors of the bar. "Besides, I'm too young, Damon. They will not let me in. "

The mischievous smile on Damon's lips did not inspire me any good as he declared."Of course, yes."

I looked at his back as he got out of the car first before returning my gaze to the bar and let out a deep moan of exasperation by unhooking my belt.

I knew I was going to regret it but obviously I did not really have a choice. I climbed out of the car, raising my hand to my head to protect my eyes from the sun before following Damon who had stopped waiting.

The bar was ... just like any other bar. There were billiard tables on our left as well as several men seated with glasses of alcohol in front of them. The ambient music had a country side and behind the bar was a tall African American woman.

From the moment she laid her eyes on Damon, a broad smile appeared on her lips before she screamed for all who wanted to hear it. "No, I don't believe it! Damon! ''

She immediately stopped what she was doing to jump over the bar with ease and rushed with the biggest of smiles towards Damon.

Honestly, I never thought someone would be so happy to see Damon. Stefan, that was understandable but Damon. It did not make any sense to me.

"The love of my life." She hissed, playful making me wide my eyes in disbelief before making me uncomfortable as ever when she literally jumped on Damon's neck and kissed him with passion in front of all the customers, me included.

If I had not realized it before, now, I was fully aware that this woman was completely crazy.

After what seemed like the longest minutes of my life, she broke away from Damon with a benevolent smile, making me want to vomit again and turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm Bree. And you are? '' She asked, gauging me with interest.

I gauged her awkwardly, the mental image of watching her kiss Damon still engraved in my mind and turned my attention to the vampire to find him staring at me with a smug smile.

"Mila." I replied simply without really looking at both before returning to my bar observation.

I watched repulsively as Bree took Damon by the hand and led him with her to the bar and, therefore, forcing me to follow them. I sat on the stool next to Damon as Bree went back to the bar and made three alcoholic drinks.

'' Listen to me everyone!'' She hopes for the whole bar, calling out to me.'' I toast the man who broke my heart, pity my soul, made my life hell and destroyed all hope that I will one day be happy. Cheers!''

"Funny way to greet the person who destroyed you." I murmured cynically, more to myself than anything else, but it was not counting on Damon's fine hearing.

"Be nice, little Gilbert." Damon quipped with a smirk before taking one of the glasses Bree had put in front of us and toasting with her before swallow the liquid.

I winced at the stench of alcohol from the glass sitting in front of me and pushed it furtively towards Bree.

Bree slammed her empty glass on the bar like Damon with a silly smile. "Whoa! ''

More I watched her and more, I thought she had been under compulsion. It was impossible to do this with Damon without being forced or at least for me it was impossible. He was the most execrable person I knew.

'' So you let yourself go? ''

I made a double-tap before realizing she was asking me the question and immediately, a grimace of disgust crossed my face at the mere thought. "Ew! No ! I don't really have …''

"Honey!" Bree cut me off with a fluffy accent."Either let yourself get on board, or he'll force you off in either case."

I turned my incredulous look on Damon to find him staring at me with a smirk, telling me he was taking full advantage of my embarrassment.

"I don't really have a choice, so ..." I declared bitter before I cleared my throat to quickly change the subject. "How did you meet?"

"College." Bree answered, looking at Damon with a mischievous smile, surprising me.

I raised an eyebrow in amazement and turned to Damon, not hiding my surprise. "You go to college? ''

"I've been to campus a lot, that's true." Damon agreed with an arrogant smile that made me think he had not been there to study.

The more I spent time with him, the more I felt a deep exasperation with him. He was really impossible.

'' Twenty years ago. While I was a young student freshly landed. I met that handsome Apollo to die.'' Start Bree to my attention, giving me nausea with her story.'' I fell in love with him. He confided to me his little secret, I like him more, because you see, I too had a secret and I was longing to share it. "

I frowned in confusion at that as Damon leaned slightly to me, raising his hand close to his mouth knowingly. "Bree is a witch."

I widened my eyes in understanding and turned my attention to the brunette in surprise and disbelief. How many supernatural people existed around us? It was totally amazing. The more months went by and the more I felt that the supernatural world was much larger than I thought at first.

"You changed my life, you know. "Announced Bree, getting me out of my thoughts and I raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two with agitation.

If they flung themselves on each other again, I was really going to throw up this time.

"I've transcended your life." Agreed Damon pretentiously making me roll my eyes, bored.

"I don't doubt it." I said sarcastically, calling Bree's attention despite me.

Bree turned to me with a knowing smile."He's good in bed. Huh, honey? "

I remained totally speechless at her statement, widening my eyes in total disbelief and embarrassment.

I had never felt so uncomfortable in my life.

I had never had a boyfriend and I had even less considered Damon that way. I mean, of course, he was very attractive and had a perfectly drawn body on which any teenager would drool ... well, I was going astray. The thing is; I had never thought of Damon like that and would probably never imagine him that way. Damn, he had tried to kill me more than I could count now.

Fortunately for me, Bree never really stopped talking as she turned to Damon with a much more serious expression. "But finally, what he does best is turned around. So, tell me what is the real reason for your visit? "

I felt Damon's eyes on me from the moment Bree's words had left her lips. Obviously, Damon did not want me to know the real reason we were here, and as far as I was concerned it suited me perfectly. As I had already said, I did not care about Damon's plan, all I wanted was to get my ring and phone, so I could call Aunt Jenna and let her know I was still alive. Bree also saw Damon's look on me and took it as a sign to leave. From the moment she retired, I turned to Damon with a determined expression.

"I don't care why we're here. All I want is to get my phone and my ring back. "I assured myself in the hope that his plan mattered more than his desire to rot my life.

''Um! '' Hummed Damon, taking my phone out of his inside pocket of his leather jacket. I brought my hand to get it back, but he pulled the phone back.'' What makes me sure you don't go running to call Saint Stefan to the rescue, the minute you get it? ''

I gauged Damon for a moment in silence and crossed his bluish orbs and decided to play everything for the whole thing. "Nothing. Only, something tells me that the reason we're here is more important to you than my hypothetical call to Stefan. "

''Bold. I wouldn't have thought you'd get that in you, little Gilbert."Damon said, raising a dark thick eyebrow.

Against all odds, Damon handed me the phone and this time he let me take it back.

I quickly unlocked it, just to see countless missed calls from Elena and Stefan. I took my eyes off my screen to stretch my open hand again.

Damon raised an eyebrow, confused.

"My ring, Damon." I said, becoming impatient, but the mischievous smile on his lips told me he was not going to surrender so easily.

"I'm keeping it for now. As insurance."He said teasingly as he stepped out of his stool and winked at me."Say hello to Elena from me. "

I followed his leather-clad back in disbelief and exasperation before uttering a grunt and walking towards the exit. I dialed Jenna's number at once, already preparing to receive the sermon of my life, and winced in anticipation when the tone, indicating that she had dropped out, rang out.

"Mila, it's you? Where are you?" Jenna immediately addressed herself before being followed by Elena's voice through the cell. "Mila? Is she doing well? Where is she?''

"It's me, Aunt Jenna." I replied softly."I'm fine. I'm sorry. I needed air. ''

Honestly, I did not know what to say to explain my situation. I did not know if Elena had covered me or if she had denounced my disappearance. I had to be careful about that one.

I could hear Jenna's breath clinging across the device. '' Need air? Need ... I don't believe it. Listen to me, Mila Rose-Marie Gilbert. You are going home now, and we will discuss a punishment from the moment you put a foot in the house. "

"Jenna, I ..."

I heard the phone being pulled before Elena's voice came in. "Mila, where are you? You're not hurt?''

"I'm fine, Elena, but I really need you to save me to Jenna. I'm with Damon and I doubt I could go in the immediate future."I begged, glancing inside the bar through the window to see Damon and Bree in conversation.

'' With Damon?" Elena shouted in the cell phone. "Mila, what are you doing with Damon? ''

"Believe me, it wasn't by choice." I defended myself, walking up and down. "There was a vampire on the road. He attacked me. Dam ... ''

"Oh my god, Mila. You're okay?" Elena interrupted me in a state of panic and I rolled my eyes tired of being interrupted.

''If you will let me finish, I'm fine but you have to be careful. Damon didn't know him, but he could still be in town."I warned her in a hurry for fear she might cut me off again.

"Stefan is coming to pick you up. Where are you, Mila?" Elena informed me, and I could already hear the rustle of paper behind the cell phone at the same time as her footsteps.

I took another look through the window before looking at my feet hesitantly. I did not really know why I was saying this the next time, but I had to do it. "I don't need anyone to pick me up, Elena. I'm safe with Damon. "

"Safe ... Mila, did he compel you?'' Concludes Elena immediately in panic, rolling my eyes.

"Strangely, no." I replied honestly."But I'm going home with him. I just need you to cover me up with Jenna. "

I was slightly surprised when Elena accepted my request without flinching but her next request explained everything. "Just ... can you ask him about Katherine? ''

"Katherine?" I exclaimed, frowning, puzzled before my eyes widened in understanding. "You know."

"And you know, too." Hissed Elena, her tone suddenly colder."We'll talk later about the fact that you were aware that my boyfriend's ex-girlfriend looks like a mirror to me. Meanwhile, ask Damon questions. "

'' Are you blackmailing me?" I asked, slightly shocked.

I could hear Elena's breath through the phone as she took her time to answer me. '' Mila, you owe me that. ''

"Well, I'll ask him." I gave in with a roll of eyes in her dramatic tone, "Bye, Elena."

I hung up my phone biting the inside of my cheek in hesitation.

My eyes fell on my screen and my urge to call Stefan resurfaced.

Damon seemed fully absorbed in his conversation with Bree and it could not hurt if I called his brother. I had already established that I was not going to give him my destination but that did not mean that I could be there for my friend. I suspected that Elena knew about Katherine was not making their relationship better and I knew that Stefan would need support.

Without hesitation, I pressed the call button and brought the device to my ear in waiting. Stefan was quick to pick up and his voice immediately soothed me. "Mila? It's you?''

"It's me, Stefan." I said with a slight smile across my lips."I'm fine, don't worry. I'm with Damon. "

I could already hear his steps as well as the brewing of his jacket as he picked up the cell. "Where are you? I'll pick you up.''

"So Elena knows about Katherine." I was not so subtle about the subject.

"She is." Stefan agreed."But tell me where you are so I can pick you up and explain to you."

'' Stefan ... ''

I felt a hand snaked my own holding my phone, making me jump and I turned at the same time that Damon took my phone from my hands.

"Hi, little brother!" Hailed Damon through my phone with a smirk before giving me a mocking look."Mila is fine but I doubt that she wants you to come looking for her."

I glared at Damon as he smiled smugly at me."Yes, you too have a good day. Um! Um! See you soon.''

Damon hung up what I supposed on Stefan's nose before handing my phone to me with an impassive expression.

"You didn't have to do that. I didn't intend to tell him where I was."I informed him, bored by his bursting by locking my phone before putting it in the back pocket of my jeans.

'' I know.''

With that, Damon returned to the bar without even giving me a single glance, leaving me alone at the exit of the bar.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in confusion and irritation before I rolled my eyes and sighed. He was just way too enigmatic for my own mental health.

When I went back inside the bar, I found Damon sitting in the same place we were before parting. I would be fists, annoyed and walked a step forward to secure him before stopping at his side. He drank a glass half full of whiskey and glanced at my side when I appeared.

"What does it mean, _I know_ , huh?" I said, taking my place on the stool next to his.

"Well, duh!" Damon exclaimed, again doing this weird thing with his icy blue orbs, smirking,"You're with me. Obviously, you don't want to go home. ''

I openly rolled my eyes to that. "Of course, this explains that."

Just when I thought Damon could not surprise me more than he had already done, a burger platter, French fries was stored right in front of us, making me raise an eyebrow in confusion.

'' What is that?" I exclaimed, frowning even as I secretly salivated on the piece of food.

I had not eaten since yesterday morning and I had to admit that now that I had this piece of food in front of me, my appetite took over.

"Burger, French fries." Damon replied unnecessarily, leaning over me to serve himself on my plate. The next thing I did was a simple reflex.

I quickly brought my hand over hers and hit his fingers like a mother scolding her three-year-old child. "No touch."

I made my gesture too late and swallowed in anticipation before slowly turning my head in apprehension towards Damon to find the exact opposite of what I had imagined.

His smile had grown considerably as he stared at me with that teasing look. I stayed too long to stare at him without a word since he ended up slightly frowning in the realization.

"Do you eat these fries or not?" He asked against all odds and I swallowed, frowning briefly before turning back to my plate.

I picked up a fry and brought it to my mouth.

From the moment the salt and fat of the fries touched my taste buds, my mouth was filled with an explosion of flavor. It was as if, I had not eaten in months. I never thought I could be so hungry when that moment. I threw myself almost on the rest of my plate and swallowed the food in big mouth without realizing my viewer.

Finally, I remembered the person next to me and glanced at the vampire to find him staring at me with an unfamiliar smile.

I swallowed the food I still had in my mouth and raised an eyebrow, questioner. "What? ''

Damon seemed to come out of a kind of stupor as he shook his head intently, blinking his eyes several times before frowning and throwing a fries into his mouth before swallowing it.

"Nothing."He eluded, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders.

I bit the inside of my cheek, remembering the deal with Elena then, I grabbed my towel and wiped my hands before throwing it beside my plate and straighten up on my elbows.

"Good." I said, questioning his intention. "Stefan already told me that vampires can't reproduce so that means that if Elena gets off Katherine then she was a mother before being a vampire?''

"We can't reproduce but it doesn't hurt to try." Taunted Damon with his smirk, making me raise an eyebrow, annoyed. "But more seriously, why not ask all that to Saint Stefan? ''

''Well, one, Stefan is not here. And finally, I ask you."I retorted with slight pretension.

I was really hoping that Damon's sincere act was not just a trick, but as I was hoping for him better, he brought his hand inside his jacket to pull out my ring and just observed it beneath my eyes. Its sight was enough to make me want it and I wanted more than anything to recover.

''Um! Why does this ring matter so much?" He asked instead of answering my question, making me frown in boredom.

I knew that starting an argument with Damon would be the last way to get it. Something told me that he enjoyed far too much of our argument and I knew I had to use another tactic to get what I wanted.

"You don't answer my questions, then." I countered, shrugging my shoulders casually.

Damon turned to me with an arched eyebrow while still playing with my ring in his hands as Bree walked over to us and put a beer in front of Damon.

"That's it for you." She explained with a cajoling smile.

"Thank you." Damon replied, copying his smile as I eyed the glass bottle with a slight desire.

I wanted to get some answers from Damon, but I wanted more than anything to pick up my ring and I knew that the best way would be to use a subterfuge. The force was useless, and Damon liked the games so why not use his vice to my advantage for once.

"I'm going to get one." I commanded myself, calling Damon and Bree staring at me with mixed expressions.

Damon looked really surprised while Bree gave me a knowing smile.

"You're not a little young to drink." Damon remarked, once again taking me for the child I was not.

"We said dead time, you remember?" I used his own words against him. "You told me to have fun, so I'm going to drink a beer."

It seemed to be enough for Bree as she went back to her fridge and brought me a beer, which she put in front of me with a wink."Enjoy, darling."

I took my beer in one hand and turned to Damon with a playful smile."I want answers to my questions and get my ring back."

'' Really?"Asked Damon, smiling with a carnivorous smile." In this case, I offer you a little game. I answer your questions if you answer mine. "

I knew it was a risk of playing like that with Damon. He had been far more cunning than I was and seemed to have mastered this game of questions. It would be like playing with fire and I knew I was in danger of losing. But the stakes were far too important to let me have. Plus, he wanted me to have fun and that was what I was going to accomplish today.

I raised my beer to toast in sign of acceptance and Damon was about to copy me, but he stopped before banging his beer against mine.''No lie or scroll. Nothing but the truth.''

I was really smiling for the first time in his company and smacked my beer against his with mischief. '' Nothing but the truth.''

I took a sip, feeling the harsh liquid running down my throat and wincing slightly at the bitterness of the alcohol.

"I'm starting." I decreed, putting down my beer on the bar. "Katherine was a mother before being a vampire? ''

'' Not that I know but this is the only plausible explanation.'' Damon replied,making me frown, perplexed.

'' How-''

''Ha, ha."Taunted Damon, raising his index finger as a ban." It's my turn to ask a question. "

I rolled my eyes at that but still asked him to ask his question.

'' What do you like to do when you don't hang out with little Stef?" He asked, sounding serious.

'' What?"I frowned, totally disoriented by his question before staring at him in disbelief." That's your question? No question about my ring? ''

"Did you prefer that I ask you about your ring and the importance it represents?" Damon suggested with a thick eyebrow raised knowingly.

"No." I agreed hastily, kindling his curiosity on the subject."I love to read," I declared, not really knowing what to say, and Damon rolled his eyes. '' What? ''

"C'mon, Mila. A little effort."Damon insisted.

"I'm playing the guitar." I explained, missing the true look of interest I had aroused in the vampire."Although I'm an unconditional fan of the bass and the violin."

''The guitar, huh? '' Damon repeated, obviously interested, calling out to me.

'' What? Are you one of those who think that the guitar is not a real instrument?" I said defensively.

''On the contrary, I played the guitar before.'' Objected Damon, totally surprising me with this confidence, leaving me slightly confused.

'' When you say before-''

'' Attention, you have only one question per turn!" Damon reminded me, facetious, reminding me of the interest of this game.

"How come you don't know if Katherine has had a child before?" I asked the first question on my mind and I saw Damon's relaxed posture stiffen slightly in my interrogation.

"Katherine ... Katherine could make you say or do anything with a single smile, but she was very secretive when she was talking about herself." Damon explained leaving me more questions than answers. Unfortunately, he gave me no time to think too long as he asked his next question."Why did you shut up in silence? ''

I was speechless, not knowing how to answer this question without revealing myself. It was something that only Stefan knew, and I was not sure I wanted to share it with Damon. Hell, I was not even sure I wanted a real conversation with Damon.

"Uh ... I don't see how important that is?" I was frowning, perplexed.

"It's for me." Damon insisted, his tone devoid of any humor, and I slowly looked up from my beer for the observer, leaning my head to the side.

He seemed destitute of all teasing or mocking, only sincerity preached his features. It was a first for me. I crossed his cloudy orbs almost gray and remained there, a moment to contemplate his eyes hypnotizing without saying a word. I really did not know if this pleasant act was sincere but looking at him now, I wanted to believe it.

"Stefan asked me the same thing a few months ago." I started, drawing a slight grimace from Damon at the mention of his brother. "It was just easier. I had too, much to take and silence was the only defense mechanism I found. Watching people and going on with my life was easier than facing the hard reality, I guess. "

Damon weighed more heavily at the girl in front of him. Once again, she reminded him a lot of him and for the first time, he did not see her as Elena's little sister but a full-fledged girl.

''I understand. You felt broken.'' He said, reflecting on the old words of our meeting. '' In your turn. ''

I made a double-tap at his suggestion, coming out of my frozen state and put me back in the game.''When you say that Katherine was secret. You mean you didn't really know anything about her past before she came to live with you? "

"When Katherine came to our Veritas estate, she had invented the story of an orphan who lost her parents in a fire in Atlanta." Damon countered, frowning, almost nostalgic."That was all I knew about her and that was enough for me. "

Finally, after three more beer and an afternoon filled with more absurd questions than the others, I could already say that I still had more questions about the Katherine than answer. I realized now how much she had played with the two brothers. Stefan and Damon did not know anything about her, except what she told them. She was like a ghost, no past, no real present. I really discovered the manipulative appeal of the vampire and I was relieved that she was still locked in the crypt with all the other vampires. Katherine was dreadful, in every sense of the word and even though I admired the great minds, I could not believe that such a mind was locked in a demon's body. The two did not mix and I dreaded her without even knowing her.

As for Damon, I was even more confused about the vampire than before. If I had started asking questions about Katherine, Damon had just played twenty-one questions about me. I really did not know how to know my preferred color or memories of my childhood were going to serve him in his machinations.

Part of me thought it was sincere, but the rational and suspicious part always reminded me of what he had done since he had arrived in town. I could not trust him. Never.

'' Well, my turn. '' Said Damon with a smirk. '' Last question. '' I waited in silence for his next question, not expecting at all what would come out of his mouth. ' What's the thing between this ring and you? ''

With all the questions he had asked, I sincerely thought that he had forgotten his obsession with my ring but once again, I had been duped. Damon always had a margin in advance under all circumstances. I gaped at his question before swallowing. I had no intention of telling him how important this ring was to me. It was something that belonged to my mother and me. That's where the difference between Stefan and Damon loomed. If I could tell Stefan everything because I had total confidence in him, Damon was just the opposite. I did not want to get close to the dark-haired vampire. I had already found a friend in Stefan and Damon was only the enemy. If I let myself have it now then I knew it would be like being caught in an infernal tower. It would never stop. I would not be able to hate him that much and I might even end up enjoying him and that would be my death.

I was perfectly lucid about my involvement with vampires. I was human, and it seems that Stefan and Damon brought only deadly dangers with them.

Only, as far as it could seem totally delusional. I had never felt so alive as when I was at the side of the two vampires.

With Stefan, I felt free from all this pain, as understood and free to act me again while with Damon, it was something different. The fact that I was in perpetual danger at his side made me much more aware of myself, aroused my adrenaline and secretly, I loved to feel that way.

"Mila, you're not running away, I hope," Damon interrupted me, getting me out of my thoughts.

"I-I-I need to get some fresh air." I stammered to escape Damon's question and jumped to my feet before heading straight for the exit.

I honestly thought that Damon would not even let me step outside but against all odds, I managed to get out of the bar and its oppressive atmosphere.

From the moment I passed the doors of the bar, I took a deep breath and was immediately assaulted by the difference in temperature. I shivered, bringing my arms close to my body to keep warm and glancing inside the bar before turning back and rolling my eyes.

The moon was not yet complete, and the sky was almost devoid of any star. I was really wondering what I was doing here, almost forgotten who I was with and letting him just as stupidly reach me.

I watched the car park half-empty and my eyes fell on Damon's Camaro. I could just go inside and avoid for the rest of the evening the vampire thinking about a way to avoid all his questions or ...

I did not even have time to finish my reflection as I felt a new presence behind me followed closely by a hand gagging me. I was fighting instantly against my assailant, gesturing and stamping his feet and hands, but he was too strong. Much too strong to be human. He immobilized me with ease, reminding me again how much I was a weak little human and turned back by keeping his hand on my mouth.

I met his blood-red orbs and his bluish black veins appeared under his eyes and I knew instantly what he was, Vampire.

I widened my eyes in fear, thinking that it was probably the vampire who had attacked me last night but he brought his finger to his lips in a sign of silence and dragged me with him.

I tried in vain to talk and tried to put in a kind of fight not to follow him but as I had already said, I was weak.

He dragged me behind the bar to a more industrial area and ended up letting me go on a kind of ladder.

'' Who are you?" I spit as soon as I was free to speak.

"Shut the hell up." The man said coldly, threateningly, but that did not stop me. If I was going to die today, then I wanted answers before.

''That's doesn't answer my question!" I insisted, fighting my inner fear that could paralyze me if I let myself be submerged.

In a blur, he was in front of me, his fangs and vampire face visible, making me instantly back in the metal pieces behind me.

"I said : _Shut. Up!_ " Ordered the vampire, sharp as I swallowed in terror.

* * *

I really wondered why I always found myself in these situations. It was as if, there was a luminescent mark on my forehead, indicating that I was the perfect little human to torture.

Then as it appeared, the vampire left me alone at the speed of vampire and I understood why after a few seconds.

Footsteps were heard, and Damon soon appeared in the corner.

"Damon!" I called shakily to warn him but was useless.

The vampire reappeared from nowhere and slammed Damon into the legs with a baseball bat, nailing him to the ground. I froze in shock at this violence before rushing towards the two vampires as the vampire continued to hit Damon. The sound of crunching and cracking bones echoed around us and I had to do everything I could to keep going.

"Stop!" I cried, totally in a panic, in vain.

'' What is this bullshit!" Damon exclaimed on the ground, obviously in pain as he struggled to straighten up.

I watched in terror as the vampire bartered the bat for a can of gasoline and began pouring eagerly on Damon.

Part of me was screaming to run to stop him but I was standing on the spot at the last moment. I knew it was not worthy of me to think so, but if I let the vampire go on then everything that Damon brought with him would go away. My growing fear that he made me feel, whenever he almost killed me. He deserved to die. It was justified.

"Who are you?" Damon croaked to the vampire's attention, pulling me out of my murderous stupor.

'' If it's not wonderful.'' Snapped the vampire, sarcastic with a cold, bitter grin.''You don't even know who I am. ''

As much as I wanted Damon's death, I knew I could not let him die. Not for Stefan.

'' Why are you doing this?" I cried, taking a step forward, just to step back when the vampire turned to me with a threatening look.

I was really starting to hate their scary faces. It was too much of a vampire trying to kill me and I was tired of being weak.

"He killed the love of my life."The vampire replied sharply, returning his broken, furious look at Damon. "What did she do to you, huh? What did she do to you? ''

Everything was explained.

I did not doubt that Damon had killed countless young girls and had just a little justice. He really deserved what was happening to him, that was why it was even more difficult to try to save him. I agreed with him.

"Nothing at all." Damon moaned as he tried to straighten up again, making the vampire pull a lighter out of his pocket from his jeans, preparing to set him on fire.

'' Whoa! Whoa! Wait!" I cried in panic, raising my hands in front of me and taking another step forward.

"My girlfriend's going to visit Stefan. That's where Damon killed her."Explained the vampire as he gauged Damon with pure hatred, his voice shaking a little in pain.

"Lexi!" I breathed in realization and looked up at the vampire, "You're Lee."

The blonde had told me about Lee and her relationship with him. It was just something she had been proud to count on me but now that I saw him, I frowned in puzzlement. If Lexi had been so proud to tell me this fact, it was because he was human and not, a vampire.

Lee frowned slightly at my recognition and glanced at me sideways. '' And who are you? ''

"I'm a friend of Stefan." I explained, keeping both vampires apprehensive. "She said you were human."

"If you want to be with someone for eternity, you must have eternal life." Lee turned to me, his voice trembling as his eyes fogged with tears.

I knew he was perfectly entitled to take revenge on Damon. He deserved it more than anyone and if I had to be honest, I wanted it to happen, but I could not do that to Stefan. He would be devastated by the loss of his brother even though he was the most execrable person on earth.

"You can't do that!" I was adamant, challenging Lee as he raised an eyebrow scornfully.

'' Ah yes?" He wondered incredulously. "And who will stop me? ''

My answer was instantaneous as I kept my eyes on Lee. "Not me."I glanced at Damon," Believe me, I'm probably the one who should encourage you to do it."

Damon gave me a painful and visibly worried look that I let Lee, kill him without doing anything. I had to admit that it was a new thing to see Damon in trouble for once. To have the power.

''Then why stop me?" Lee questioned, his dry, sharp tone.

"Because killing him will not change anything." I swallowed in anticipation of my next words. "Believe me, pain, hate ... the trouble will always be there after doing it. You may be relieved now. To think that you have revenged Lexi but, in the end, she's still dead. "

My words left a deep and painful silence as Lee gauged me with the most painful and painful eyes I had ever seen as Damon tried to straighten up. I met his guilty eyes, visibly reached by my words but turned my attention to Lee.

'' Don't let him destroy you more than he already has. You're not like him."I was refuting, hope and sincerity very clear in my voice as I gauged Damon, worried."Please."

Lee gauged me for a moment in a scary silence before bending down on Damon and grabbing him violently by the collar of his shirt, making me gasp in apprehension.

The seconds seemed minutes as he gauged him with all the hate and pain, he could pass in one glance before projecting him like a vulgar rag doll into the farthest wall. I widened my eyes in fear and worry as I took a precarious step forward just to stop when Lee turned to me. A tacit exchange passed between us as he continued to gauge me in heavy silence. I ended up nodding my head in gratitude, then, remained frozen on the spot as Lee left the scene at an unimaginable speed, leaving only the state of Damon, testify to his presence.

I turned my attention to Damon and soon ran to him to attest to his condition.

I kneeled up to him, slightly worried. "Damon?" The vampire sat up in pain in recognition and moaned. "Well, you're fine."

I sat up without really paying attention to Damon who gauged me as he was going to kill me on the spot.''I'm fine ? He was going to burn me like a barbecue. "

''The key word in your sentence: was. You're a vampire, get over it."I retorted, rolling my eyes to his dramatic look as he sprang up and dusted his petrol-soaked T-shirt with a scowl.

"Your consideration makes me warm."He smirked, making me roll my eyes before frowning as he grabbed my arm and pulled me with him.

It was getting really boring to be dragged by these damn vampires.

Damon paused in front of the Camaro's trunk and opened it before pulling out a long-sleeved T-shirt, black as usual and turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

'' What is that? A suitcase for all the times when you're almost lit like a twig?" I asked with attitude, crossing my arms over my chest.

Damon gave me a scathing look, obviously tired of my comments and smiled with a smirk. '' Get in the car. ''

"As you wish." I sang, jubilant at the situation and walked to the passenger side before getting into the cockpit and waiting for Damon to change.

Even though I was enjoying the situation right now, I really realized what I had done. I had saved Damon Salvatore. The same Damon who had tried to kill me many times and had made Stefan's life hell for centuries.

If it was not for Stefan, then Damon would be dead by now. I had made my choice that way, but I knew full well that I was going to deeply regret it. It was Damon after all.

Three knocks against my window made me jump and I narrowed my eyes on the smirking vampire who enjoyed my fright.

"Erase that smile, Salvatore." I was already annoyed with the vampire. "What's wrong? ''

"I'm going to get my jacket back inside the bar." He warned me, arching my eyebrow, confused as he was already walking to the bar before stopping in his gait. "Oh, and little prevention. ''

I looked in disbelief as he raised his keys in the air and pressed the security, emitting a small clique inside the car and locking me at the same time.

"What ... ... kind of ... argh!" I snapped, turning completely into my seat and crossing my arms over my chest in exasperation.

* * *

It was affirmative, Damon Salvatore was back to his self-arrogant and infuriating person. I ranted and swore for a good ten minutes before Damon finally came out of the bar, his jacket slung over his shoulder before he climbed behind the driver's seat with a smug smile at my expression.

'' Have fun while I'm gone?'' He taunted me, smirking, making me glare at him in irritation.

'' Shut up and drive!" I ordered curtly, turning my attention to the window, "I can't wait to get out of this car."

I was awakened again by the jolt of the Camaro engine and I looked around, slightly disoriented just to meet Damon again and his exacerbating smile.

I took a look at the road through my window before turning to Damon who was driving with one hand, looking very casual and nonchalant as usual.

'' Are we still far from Mystic Falls?" I asked, bringing my hand to my mouth as I let a yawn escape me.

'' We'll be back in less than an hour." Replied Damon, to whom I just nodded as I turned my attention to the surrounding landscapes.

I put myself at ease bringing my knees to my chest and wrapped my arms around my legs before letting myself be rocked by the classic rock out of the car radio. I was so immersed in my observation that I did not notice in the first place the insistent look of Damon on me until he spoke.

"It belonged to your mother, isn't it?" Damon came in, his tone flat as he gave me a side glance at which I raised a confused eyebrow."The ring. That's why you're so attached to it."

I stared at him incredulously, swallowing before focusing on the front of the road. '' Why did you ask me questions? Why are you pretending to want to know me? "

"Don't take my interest as anything else but curiosity, Mila." Damon warned me implicitly."I was curious to know what Stefan saw in you."

I did not know why but this little spike hit me more than it should have. I frowned, checking my jaw. '' Very happy to know that I served you entertainment during your trip. ''

Damon frowned in his turn, taking an expression that was still unknown to me. "You weren't an entertainment. Now, I know why my brother likes to spend so much time with you. You're not that bad of a company, Mila. "

I turned my attention to Damon silently watching him and trying in vain to find his true personality. I was now certain that his psychopathic side without emotion was just a facade and even though Lexi had told me he was hopeless, I thought otherwise.

"Looks like you're looking for a friend, Damon." I said, looking sympathetically at the vampire.

My remark sparked a dark laugh from Damon as he glanced sideways, incredulously, "I have no friend. Don't try to analyze me, it will only lead you to disillusionment."

"I didn't hear you contradict me." I insisted, settling on my positions and I saw Damon ticking his jaw as he narrowed his eyes down the road and tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

"I don't want a friend, Mila, it's clear?" He snapped defensively, giving me a scathing stare from the side.

I looked up at the ceiling, leaning my head on the frame. "That's right. You're the big bad vampire who kills without a qualm."

The exasperation and annoyance were evident in Damon as his already pale phalanx turned pale as the steering wheel seemed to twist under Damon's improbable force and I looked at the vampire anxiously.

His gaze was focused on the road and the speed needle kept on increasing as our conversation progressed.

"I'm not good, Mila." Damon exploded darkly."Never forget that."

'' Really?"I questioned with a raised eyebrow before I tried everything for the whole thing." So why didn't you kill me yet, huh? ''

I really thought that my question had been the question of too much as Damon seemed beyond edgy, but he did something else.

"Because I can't kill you! "Damon roars in a fit of mad rage making me jump before slamming his fist into the steering wheel, slightly denting the metal." And, shit, Mila. "

"Why you can kill me?"I come frowning surprise, momentarily forgetting the nonsense of my question.

"Don't get me wrong. I want to kill you." Damon retorted coldly with a frown, confused, causing anxiety chills all over my body." You have the gift of driving me crazy but every time I try, I failed. I look at you and I find myself in you. And strange as it may seem, I end up letting you save your life. "

I remained silent, directing and analyzing despite myself this confidence before turning to Damon with a smug smile. "So, you can't kill me. Obviously, it's because you'd like to be my friend. "

Damon narrowed his gaze on me in blatant boredom and I copied his gaze by hitting him slightly in the arm with a scowl."Hey, I've saved your life, you idiot."

"I noticed." Acknowledged Damon, rolling his eyes.

"Good, try to remember it." I warned, looking back at the road with a teasing smile."I could use it in the future."

Damon copied my smile before turning his attention back to the road. The rest of the trip was quite comfortable, and I did not even see the parade miles.

* * *

Finally, when we arrived at the boarding house, I frowned at the sight of Elena's car, parked in the driveway.

I unbuckled my belt, giving Damon a confused look before coming down quickly from his car. I did not even wait for him to get in of the boarding house and immediately looked for Elena and Stefan. I climbed the stairs to Stefan's room, thinking it would be the best place to find them and stopped in the middle of my ascent when I heard Elena's angry voice.

"But what am I for you? And above all, who am I for you? "

Stefan's disoriented voice soon followed her."You're not Katherine. You're even the exact opposite of what she was. "

I sneaked a new step in the hope of getting a better listen. I knew it did not really concern me, but I was curious, and I was ready to intervene if Elena was bent on Stefan. I knew my sister well enough to know how she acted. Sometimes she could really be a little pest, even nasty and it was out of the question that I left her hurt Stefan without saying anything.

"When did you realize that?" Barked Elena "Before you kiss me? Before we sleep together? "

I did not really want to hear this kind of thing about my sister and my closest friend, but fortunately Stefan was quick to reply something that left me speechless.

'' Before I meet you. ''

I frowned totally astonished, since Stefan had never spoken to me about this and tended to listen for answers.

'' What? " Elena exclaimed visibly as confused as I was, and I could already imagine her frowning.

'' Do you remember the day of school? When we meet? "Stefan reminded, intrigued me more."In fact, it wasn't the first time. "

I did not really understand anything anymore. He had never told me about this and part of me was beginning to feel betrayed. Something told me that he did not tell me about it for a good reason and I did not really know if I was ready to hear it.

"When was it?" Elena asked with some distrust in her voice.

There was a long pause before Stefan spoke again. '' We met on May 23, 2009. ''

I remained totally speechless before this revelation and felt all my world crumble around me. This date would be forever marked in my mind. I could not believe that Stefan had hidden something of such magnitude. I felt all my defenses crumble again and I had to stand on the wall to support the weight falling on my chest. All the pain and pain that I had repressed lately reappeared and I could already feel my eyes fogging with tears.

'' But it was the day where-''

"The day your parents' car fell off the bridge." Stefan cut in confirmation, devastating me a bit more.

It was too much for me. I could not stay hidden anymore. I needed answers and I could not get them from the bottom of this staircase.

I quickly wiped my wet eyes with the back of my hand and breathed a brittle breath before climbing the rest of the way that separated me from the harsh truth.

'' Were you there? '' I exclaimed, making the two people in the room known to me, and immediately Stefan's expression fell into guilt and worry as Elena visibly stared at me as equally disturbed and devastated that I was.

'' Mila, I ... ''

I frowned harshly."Why didn't you tell me? "I cut him with a sharp gesture of the hand, keeping it fixed with a slight bitterness.

"I used to come back here every two, three years. To see Zack again and find me at home."Stefan began to look back and forth between Elena and me."Last spring, while I was in the forest not far from this famous bridge, I heard the accident. I heard everything. I quickly arrived at the scene, but it was not enough, the car was already fully immersed. Your father was still fully aware, I managed to reach him but he stubbornly refused me to help him, as long as I didn't help you, you-"

I kept my fists tight throughout the explanation, my voice stuck in the back of my throat with emotion and trying to stay strong listening to the full story of the day my parents died.

I could not believe Stefan hid that from me.

"That's not true." Elena breathed, eyes wide in shock. "When I woke up in the hospital, no one could explain how I managed to get out of the car. They said it was a miracle. ''

"I went looking for them, but it was too late, I couldn't save them." Stefan continued, once again making the inevitable happen again.

I walked to the nearest seat and dropped in, keeping my eyes on the floor while Stefan continued his story. "When I pulled you out and saw your face, you were the perfect one Katherine's look-alike. I could not believe my eyes, after that I spent months making sure you were not her. I watched you in secret, I tried to learn all I could about you, I realized that you did not look like Katherine. From that moment, I wanted to leave the city but, I failed, I could not resolve to leave without having met you. I'm sorry I did not tell you anything, I wish I could, but you were so sad. Especially you, Mila. I …''

I took my eyes off the floor to cross the green orbs filled with Stefan's guilt and wanted to say something, but Elena did not give me the time. "How come I look like her?"

Honestly, at this point, I did not care why in the fucking universe Elena looked like Katherine.

I had suffered two stressful days and this revelation was too much information. I stood up suddenly, questioning Stefan just like Elena and put my sad look on them.

"I have to go home." I said simply before turning back without a word and walking down the stairs as fast as my legs would allow.

I crossed the living room in a kind of stupor, totally oblivious to my surroundings and forgetting even the fact that I had no return.

I had almost reached the door of the boarding house when Damon came out of nowhere with that look of sympathy that did not look like him.

I looked up from all emotions except sadness and tried as best I could to keep myself from collapsing on the field.

The pain and grief were so suffocating that it was hard to breathe. Everything followed one another. Stefan's lie, the story of the accident, my loss of my parents always inevitable and the moments of happiness that were only memories now.

I did not know how long we were standing there staring at each other without a word with only our eyes dipping into each other, but I knew I could not stay a minute longer without cracking.

I did not want to be seen crying. And even less, Damon.

I took a step aside to get around him but instead of moving to the side to let me the passage Damon grabbed me gently by the arm and made me look at him.

"I'm going to take you home." He decreed in a worried tone.

If it had been at another time, I would have looked at his reaction or even resistance to him, but I was too immersed in my abyss of trouble to do any fighting.

I just nodded and waited for him to take his car keys before walking outside the boarding house. I climbed into the cockpit like an automaton and buckled my seatbelt without a word.

The drive was by far, the longest and most painful I had ever done. Damon kept staring at me as he expected me to explode at any moment while I kept holding back my tears.

Finally, Damon parked his car in the driveway and shut down the engine. I looked up at the house of my childhood that only accentuated my pain and felt the weight of their losses again.

I knew I could not stay indefinitely in Damon's car, especially as he was starting to get agitated, giving me insistent glances as if I were a time bomb.

'' Mila ... ''

"I ..." I interrupted quickly before taking a long pause, trying to form a sentence without collapsing and unhooked my belt. "I'm fine. Thank you for the ride.''

I stepped out of the cockpit at full speed wanting nothing more than to lock myself in my room and let myself be consumed by the trouble away from prying eyes.

I climbed the steps of my porches, still feeling Damon's piercing gaze on my back, and passed the threshold of the house.

I went straight up the stairs just to alert Jenna who soon began to chase me.

"I didn't make a lot of rules with you, Mila. Because I was counting on you to always tell me the truth."Jenna scolded me but at this point I could not care less about it." Where did you go? Why did you lie to me on the phone? "

"I-I don't know." I stammered, unable to say anything else in my condition.

''You don't know? How do you don't know? "Repeated Jenna clearly losing patience with me."Listen, Mila. I missed a lot of things with you. You didn't talk anymore, and I accepted. You locked yourself in pain, refusing any help and you managed the mourning in your own way. But from now on, there will be rules. ''

I really did not know what triggered my reaction as I turned furiously to Jenna and slammed on her."Stop trying to act like mom, Jenna! You're not her and you never are! ''  
Aunt Jenna recoiled in my glare as I felt the tears run down my cheeks and my breathing became heavier.

I made my remarks far too late and I began to run the rest of the steps to my room to drop on my bed and release all the pain that I managed to contain from the pension.


	12. Chapter 12 : Wicked Game

**Chapter twelve : Wicked Game**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _In the last days, the house looked more like a reproduction of the cold war than a warm home. It seems that I left the boarding house far too early the other night and missed the most interesting._

 _Indeed, it turned out that Elena had been adopted and our parents had hidden us all.  
Honestly, I did not really know how I was on this new information. Elena had always been my older sister for everything I knew. We had grown up together and learning that we were not bound by blood did not change anything for me. Only if this revelation had been a real surprise to me, it was not for Jenna and Elena had made sure to make her paid. After my outburst the other night, it had been the turn of Elena and since then, only Jeremy spoke to her. The family dinners were more than interesting at this point.  
However, my glamor had not changed much as Jenna had deprived me of the 50's dance and dance at the same time. _

_Honestly, Felix had been much more disturbed by this fact than I was. Although he did not really have much time to worry about me, since most of his supposedly crazy and insupportable family on his mother's side, according to Felix, had come to visit and had been hogging him ever since._

 _Well, yes, I could not really know how Stefan felt about it since we had not really talked since that famous night. I did not hold it against him, but it was difficult for me to accept the fact that he was present when my parents were dead.  
However, I missed our friendship. Especially, with what Elena told me.  
Indeed, if I had not been present at the party, there had been twists and turns. The vampire who had attacked me on the road, had attacked Elena during the dance and Stefan and Damon had ended up killing him with a stake in his heart. It seems that the crystal is not the only way to reopen the crypt and that was the whole subject of Damon's trip. He had never given up on releasing Katherine and with this new information he was planning to succeed.  
If I missed my friendship with Stefan, I could not talk to him and reason with him. Elena had told me how they were going to fool Damon into making sure they were going to help him open the crypt just for doubling him up and destroy the grimoire needed for opening. If I used to be open to manipulation and subterfuge with Stefan, this time, I felt a deep anger towards my closest friend. I could not believe he dared to do such a thing to his brother. I did not want him to open that crypt just as much as he did, but Damon already had a big trust problem and he was unpredictable. I really dreaded what he could do when he noticed it ...  
_

Three knocks echoed against my door and I looked up from my notebook and removed my pen from my page to look at Jenna entering my room with a serious expression. I did not feel proud after what I told her. She did not deserve it and I knew it was a low blow for her. I wanted to apologize but did not find the strength in me to do it. I knew it was unjustified but part of me, thought what I said.

"Aunt Jenna, hey." I acknowledged, swallowing, embarrassed, noting that she looked just as tense as I was.

"Hey!" She didn't really feel sure about what she was doing before pointing out my notebook." I'm disturbing you? ''

I looked at my notebook before looking up at her, shaking my head actively. "Oh! No, no. Not at all, I ... "I frowned, feeling stupid to act like that to Jenna and sighed." I wasn't doing anything important. You wanted something? ''

'' Oh ! Yes, uh ... '' Jenna hastened, unsure as she sat down on my desk chair to face me. "I know you know about Elena's adoption and I wanted to know how you were managing it. I mean, I know it must be a lot to take and since what happened last time. I'm just worried about you. "

I closed my notebook and turned my attention to Aunt Jenna."I'm fine. Honestly! It doesn't change much for me. I think I didn't expect it, that's all. "

There was a long tacit silence between us as Jenna continued to watch me without a word before she cracked a slight smile.

"You've always been very rational and mature for your age." Jenna said with a proud smile."When you were younger, you were already the wisest of the three. I even remember that you used to dress like your mother and enjoyed talking to me when I came back late at night. "  
A nostalgic laugh escaped my memory and the irony of the situation as I rested my eyes on Jenna. "And now, it's the opposite."

"Just, I wanted to talk to you about your punishment." Jenna explained, causing me to raise my head for the sake of interest and to draw her a smile at my expression."Since that was your first misbehavior. I was thinking of shortening it and-''

'' Really?"I cut her off my bed in a hurry and already began to run towards my wardrobe to get my jacket.

"Wait, I'm not finished!" Jenna said to me, stopping in what I was doing and forcing myself to turn around to look at her slightly anxious that she might change her mind. "I want you to come back for dinner and tell me where you are going."

I rushed at Jenna in a sudden embrace and thanked her in excitement before putting my jacket on my short-sleeved top and crossed my room in a stride. I ran down the stairs but stopped before, remembering Jenna's counterpart.

"I'm going to see Stefan. I'll be back for dinner. "

* * *

I now knew the journey to the boarding house like my pocket and it was not long before I got into the boarding house alley.

I was looking for Stefan's car at once but found, to my great displeasure, Damon's Camaro. I pulled out and left my SUV before going to the front door. As usual, I entered without knocking and immediately went looking for Stefan.

'' Stefan?" I called, glancing down the halls before venturing into the living room to stop at the sight of Damon smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Well, look who's back!" Exclaimed the vampire, putting his half-full glass of whiskey on the table before taking a step toward me.

"Damon!" I simply greeted, with little interest as I turned around to see if I could catch a glimpse of the vampire I had come to see.

'' Damon? That's all?" Repeated the vampire with a slight frown before resuming an amused expression." Come on, Mila. I thought we were more than that, now. "

I rolled my eyes, turning to Damon with arms crossed over my chest, and gauged him with little interest. "Do you know where Stefan is?"

"Hum." Hummed Damon, an evil smile on his lips."I may know where he is."

I was really starting to regret being here. I had no desire to endure his annoying antics, let alone spend more time than necessary in his company. I had to convince Stefan to stop everything he intended to do, and I had to find him quickly.

''Well?" I asked, tapping my foot, impatient as I gauged him with a raised eyebrow, questioning before sighing in frustration. "If you know where he is, just tell me, Damon. I really don't have time to play these little games. "

"You were a lot more fun on our trip." Damon commented with a slight scowl."You just missed him. He took Elena home as the saint he is."

I hardly listened to his little joke about his own brother as I was already walking in the huge corridors towards the exit. As I said, I did not have time to lose. Well, it was not counting on Damon and his ability to bother me. I was almost at the door when he appeared in front of me, forcing me to hit his chest tonic and step back a few steps under the impact.

"What ...?" I exclaimed, rubbing my sore forehead before turning my attention to Damon."Damn it, Damon! What do you want now ? ''

'' I suppose you're aware of Stefan's intention to help me get Katherine out of the tomb.'' Said Damon knowingly with a raised eyebrow, letting me pinching the bridge of my nose in annoyance. Something in his statement did not inspire confidence.

However, that did not prevent me from answering with affirmation and confidence. ''Of course, I know it and if you want my opinion. He's an idiot. You may have lived a whole century, you are still immature kids always fighting over the same girl at the end.''

''Said the fifteen-year-old girl.'' Damon snorted with disdain visibly offended.

He did not really understand why he was taking time with Mila, but her answers still intrigued him.

He always wanted to know more about her and her intelligent little mind. It had been a long time since he had been overridden and he had to admit that he enjoyed their little arguments. Besides, he did not know if it was because Stefan had managed to get her friendship, but he might have wanted it too. He wanted her to be as confident in him as she had in Stefan if not even more.

He wanted someone for him for once but unfortunately, Mila had been asserting his loyalty just like Elena. That was why he had to get Katherine and leave the city and the Gilbert girls without turning around.

'' Sixteen! I'm sixteen." I corrected myself, irritated.

Damon raised his hand again doing his strange thing with his eyes and swept away my answer with a wave of his hand, "It doesn't matter."

Finally, it may not have been a bad idea to free Katherine. I understood Stefan's urge to send his exacerbating brother away.  
Damon shifted to the side and I looked confused his back fleeing to the living room before looking up to the celling and I was ready to walk through the door.

"I can't wait to see you leave the city."

"So you know what the real reasons are, then." He stopped in his tracks, glancing over his shoulder in a black sweater.

"Of course I am." I commented, my tone dripping with sarcasm."I know Stefan well enough to understand his intentions."

I immediately regretted this statement as Damon turned around with that conspiratorial look in his eyes and walked over to me with a carnivorous smile to which I instinctively took a step back.

I did not like this side of Damon and probably would never like it. In fact, I did not like any facet of Damon but as I had deduced, I had to deal with it if I wanted to set up with Stefan. One did not come without the other even if they claimed the opposite and that was why I could not let Stefan do what he had in mind. If Elena was stupid enough to work with him in this absurd plane then it was that she did not know enough about the Salvatore brothers' relationship.

"Well, I hope you didn't have a plan for this afternoon, Mila." Damon assured me as he stepped around me to open the closet to my right where there was a dozen or so leather jackets more like each other.

"You know that they all look like each other?" I asked with one eyebrow raised before widening my eyes in confusion at his previous statement. "Wait, what did you say? ''

After putting on his jacket, Damon turned to me with that scary smile, telling me that I was not going to like what was coming. "Come on, Mila! We have shopping to do. "

* * *

I still wondered why I was still in this kind of situation and even better why I had agreed to accompany him.

I really had to have some sort of neurological dysfunction not to realize that I had to stay away from Damon Salvatore. In fact, if I was smart, I would have had to leave the boarding house the second where I saw him in the living room but no. I continued to search for Stefan and found myself now, in front of the city's shopping center next to the most dangerous and unpredictable vampire in the city.

'' Remind me why am I here already?" I asked incredulously, glancing sideways at the dark-haired vampire who smirked at me before heading for the caddy section forcing me to follow him.

"Because we make a team of kickass!" He exclaimed childishly, pumping his fist in the air while I was staring at him blankly, not amused."Come on, Mila. You know that you want to be with me. Everyone wants to be with me. ''

'' Oh god! "I exploded by pushing him to the side to take possession of the caddy in his place."If we're going to do that, I'm going to set rules. First, I push the caddy. Second, stop acting like an arrogant and annoying jerk for even a minute. ''

Damon followed me as I entered the big grocery store."I could do it but where would be the fun in all this? ''

"I knew I was going to regret it." I grumbled between my teeth before I noticed all the eyes on us. All the people in the store were staring at us and I was becoming much more aware of who I was with. "Damon, everyone is watching."

"It's usually the effect I'm getting on my way." Damon murmured pretentiously, leaning over my ear, making me roll my eyes in boredom.

"I'm serious Damon!" I whispered, nervous."I hate to be the center of attention. That's why I stayed silent for so long. ''

It was not really news for Damon, he had long noticed that Mila and the attention did not get along well but the redness on her cheeks was adorable. Wait, adorable? Yeah, no! Damon did not think of things like that. If he had brought Mila with him, it was to get information about his brother and get a little distraction. That's all.

Against all odds, Damon positioned himself behind me and was quick to cover my hands holding the caddy with his, causing the most disoriented reaction in me. Didn't they have air conditioning in this supermarket? It was so hot suddenly. If all the people in the store were not watching us already, now it was done.

"Damon, what are you doing?"I broke in a whisper, trying to hide the blush that rose up my cheeks and the chills that aroused me with his chest against my back.

I could feel his ribcage as well as his pectoral muscles against my spine. I had never been so close to a man before, let alone a man of Damon's stature. It was really disorienting for me and I did not know if I really appreciated the sensations that it gave me. Especially coming from Damon.

Damon leaned over Mila, his warm breath stoking the hollow of her neck and he was surprised to notice slight shivers down her skin. The warmth of her little body against his was foreign but more than pleasant. He could stay for hours nestling against her heat.

"I'm just pushing the caddy." He eluded, pretending an innocent tone and he could feel her hands tense under his, revealing a light smile on his lips.

"Take away your dirty hands of psycho from me or I'm doing a scene!" I couldn't feel the anger meandering my veins and a less familiar emotion.

'' Please." Damon mocked, nonchalantly, and I could already see him rolling his eyes."I'll stop you from talking even before you can say phew!"

I widened my eyes at his implication before narrowing my eyes as I looked in front of me and whispered acid on my shoulder. "You threatening me now? What happened to : _I can't kill you Mila?_ ''

Damon frowned on the top of the little brown head's head, regretting that he had confided this information to her and was slightly offended by her poor imitation of him. "Maybe not, but I can still torture you with much worse means that death! And I don't speak like that. ''

I shivered slightly worried about his dark threat and tried to ignore the feeling of anxiety that was infiltrating my chest.

'' That's right.'' I acknowledge.''You're whining a lot more. ''

"I think you're confusing me with Stefan." Damon retorted, annoyed.

"Stefan cares and worries. You, you're just a whiny little child who explodes at every whim."I contrasted boldly, totally ignoring the person I was with.

He needed to hear the truth. Moreover, he was always standing behind my back and if annoying him was the only way to get me free then I was not going to deprive myself.

I felt Damon's hands close on mine with much more force and I began to think that my knuckles could not hold longer if he continued to tighten his grip.

''Watch out, little Gilbert! You're walking on the slippery slope."Hissed Damon against my ear, making me swallow before grimacing in pain as his fingers bent further against mine.

I felt my own nails sink into my palms and I was sure that if he continued, I was going to get scratched.

"Damn ... my, you hurt me!" I croaked in a low murmur, feeling my breath as my heartbeat accelerated in response to my pain.

From the moment the words left my lips, Damon untied his hands from mine and stepped aside to stand beside me with a stoic expression.

I stopped in my tracks, removing my hands to observe them and could see the trace of my nails and some scratches along my palm. My hands were still shaking in shock and I shifted my anguished and furious look at the author of my wounds to find him a few meters before choosing a package of pulp beam.

I really could not believe I was doing this. I mean, it was totally surreal. A human who was at the supermarket with a maniacal vampire. If several months ago you would have told me that I was doing this with Damon, I will probably have laughed in your face, but it was very real.

I was at the side of Damon and acting as if nothing had happened, forcing me to see the irrationality of this situation. Well, vampires were not supposed to exist, so I assumed it showed how much I had lost all sense.

"What's going on in this little head? '' Damon's curious voice came to my side, pulling me out of my thoughts and returning my attention to him.

''Oh nothing. Just the irrationality of this whole situation. "I replied sarcastically as I pulled away from the caddy trying to catch tomato sauce on the top of a shelf.

 ** _Damon POV_**

The faster I got to finish his shopping and the sooner I would be free of Damon. My hands were still aching and I had to push the caddy with the tips of my fingers so as not to flinch every time my palms came into contact with a smooth surface.

Damon looked with his arms crossed over his broad chest as Mila tiptoed herself up to try to catch the bottle containing the tomato sauce and he could not stop the real smile from spreading on his lips as she pulled out her tongue between her lips in concentration.

It was obvious that with her small size, she could never reach it but her determination to get it was more than commendable.

He had lost it earlier, and he would probably feel guilt for hurting her if he was not what he was. He was a vampire and did not care less about harming humans, yet that feeble weight still lingered on his chest since he had seen Mila's scratching palms. He had never met a human who could arouse such a reaction in him, except Elena and it was saying little for someone who had lived more than a century.

He thought it was probably a Gilbert tradition.

Finally, he decided to abort her ordeal as he stood behind Mila before placing his large calloused hands on her hips slightly uncovered by her T-shirt and her arms hanging in the air. He immediately felt Mila stiffen under his touch and could not help feeling that weight again.

This little human made him feel things he should not.

He raised an eyebrow at her reaction and surprised himself to appreciate the sensation of her soft skin under his fingers.

 ** _Mila POV_**

I was actively resuming my senses despite the thrill of Damon's touch and quickly grabbed the bottle and waited in hurry for Damon to release me. From the moment I put my feet on the floor, I thought that he was withdrawing his hands immediately, but he lingered, making me blush even more.

I tried in vain to hide my blush and took a step aside to move away before returning my gaze to Damon whispering. '' I got it.''

Damon saw the blush settle on Mila's cheeks and he could not find her more innocent than she was now. It was too good an opportunity for him.

"Pretty color, little Gilbert." He taunted with a suggestive wink, gathering a burst of Mila before she put the tomato sauce back in the caddy.

'' Stop calling me that! '' I interrupted, walking back and forth between the shelves."I'm not small and my name isn't Gilbert."

Damon glanced at me sideways, pretending to pout."But it's a little emotional nickname."

"Do you have to give everyone a nickname?" I said, bored raising an accusing eyebrow."Saint Stefan, Barbie, baby Gilbert, little Gilbert? Which by the way is totally absurd given that Jeremy and I are twins and he was born exactly five minutes before me. "

''You the youngest of your family?" Damon exclaimed with an arched eyebrow, surprised as I rolled my eyes at his selective mind.

"Yes, Damon. I'm the youngest but that was not the point."I replied, rolling my eyes before turning my attention to the vampire." Finally, I think we're do-"

I stopped immediately in my information when I saw the long waiting line leading to the checkout and could not contain the groan annoyed to pass my lips to the idea of staying longer alongside Damon in a line wait.

''Impatient? " Taunted Damon with a teasing smile making me narrow my eyes to him in boredom.

"I can't count the minutes that separated me from you. That's all. "I snapped, again gauging the line before looking down at my feet.

I had to find an idea to move faster and find myself free of Damon. I could find something, it was not the first time I had found a subterfuge to satisfy my impatience.

"C'mon, Mila! You know that-''

I suddenly cut him off with a wave of my hand, turning my head toward him with a secret smile knowing that I had found the perfect idea to get me out of here.

"I know !" I exclaimed almost euphorically, drawing a perplexed frown from Damon.

"What are you talking about, Mila?" Damon asked.

I sent him my secret, almost scary smile again and raised his suggestive eyebrows. "You'll see. Stay here!''

I did not even wait for his witty answer and listened even less to his calls as I slipped between the shelves to complete my plan.

First, I had to find balloons. I knew I had to be quick and discreet enough not to arouse suspicion. I got into the children's shelves and started walking around the shelves in search of balloons.

A smile appeared on my lips as I found not only the balloons but also a roll of tape. It was perfect! Now I just had to finish the adjustments. I grabbed several long T-shirts regardless of the styles in the clothing department and soon hid me in a fitting room. It was not my first try, I recognized it and I knew that if my mother knew what I was going to do, she would probably be frightened.

From the moment I was out of sight inside the cabin, I tried to tear open the plastic bag containing the balloons and intentionally chose a white one. I started to blow in to get a nice rounded shape and really realized what I was doing when I wrap the scotch balloon. I had slightly inflated the balloon to get a slight bump that was neither too big nor too small to make it as realistic as possible and took a last look around me, trembling slightly before pulling up my T-shirt and storing the balloon against my lower abdomen.

I covered it quickly with my shirt trying to position it as realistic as possible when a gruff voice was heard behind the simple curtains that protected me from my deception.'' Miss ? Is everything okay in there? ''

I widened my eyes in panic and tried to hide my crime objects in a rush. I stuffed them behind the cabin seat and soon reaped the T-shirts that had deceived me before pulling the curtains open. It was if the masquerade took shape.

'' I'm fine!'' I answered, betting on the falsest smile I had. '' I'm sorry I put it so long, but you know how it is ... we take a little shape, and everything becomes more difficult to put on.''

The guard looked down at my hand stored on my stomach and widened his eyes in embarrassment before clearing his throat. I did not even want to imagine what was going through his mind at my sight. He probably thought it was a scandal. A girl like me already carrying a child.

'' Oh. Oh, I'm sorry, miss! "I was not sure why he was the most desolate but looking at me in his eyes, I could understand what these really pregnant girls at my age were feeling.

"There is no problem." I swept immediately grateful that the deception was working."Can I?"

The caretaker immediately took a step aside with a tense smile and I restarted with my hands on my belly as a demonstration.

I hated finding myself to be the center of attention but at the moment it was necessary, and I had to really do a job on me not to crack under the whispers as well as judgment glances I was getting on my way.

Deciding to push the trick to the end, I quickly grabbed a soft toy from the baby department and filled the rest of the shelf that separated me from the checkout.

As soon as I stepped out of the shelves for the crate, I saw Damon forming his icy blue eyes on me and I was already grimacing what I was going to do.

"Can I know where you went?" Damon purred dryly, obviously annoyed by my sudden disappearance. He probably had not seen my masquerade yet and I knew it was time to play my cards.

'' Look what I found, my love!" I said in the most serious tone I knew and raised my voice intentionally by raising the stuffed animal in front of his face and I had to do everything not to break the laugh at Damon's flabbergasted expression. "It's not adorable? I'm sure Damon junior will love him a lot. "

The blank expression on Damon's face was simply priceless. He stared at me as if I had totally lost all sanity, but I did not really have time to say anything else like the old woman who was in front of us, visibly turned away by my number.

'' It's a boy?"Asked the old woman with a silly smile, eyeing my belly bounces and I felt almost guilt to lie to her.

'' What? No-''

'' Yes, he's a little guy.'' I cut Damon, clinging to his leather jacket with a faked smile and whispering." Play the game! ''

I knew he would hear me as I whispered low enough for his vampire hearing to catch up and had to, for once, find an interest in his nature.

'' How are you going to call him?" Asked the woman visibly convinced by our masquerade.

Honestly I did not really want to go through the small interview but I knew that if I wanted to get out of here faster than I had to act as such.

I intentionally eyed Damon with a silly look that almost seemed to glare at me before turning my attention back to the old woman."Damon Junior. Like his dear daddy.''

I tapped his chest, taking advantage that I could hit him to put a little more force than I needed and I felt him stiffen against me. I knew I was going to pay for it later but for now I was going to make the most of the masquerade.

Damon looked at Mila totally incredulous and shocked by her lie she was developing and did not really know if he should be more amused by her masquerade or completely exasperated. He did not think she could really have that in her and does it, that this old woman thought he was the father was beyond his words. That said she had not left any detail to chance and he still wondered how she had done to train this belly of a pregnant woman.

Clearly Mila's deception was working more than fine as a new woman turned to them as she listened to her conversation about their future imaginary baby.

"It's really brave to have a baby at your age and with a much older man." Judge the woman with a visibly disapproving look and Damon could not help but to throw a dark look and squeeze Mila against him.

"That's all Mila."He said in a falsely cheerful tone."Full of courage and daring."

''Don't do too much either!'' He heard Mila whisper in a slightly annoyed tone, making him smile more.

"You seem to be cluttering."The old woman stood in front of us, and I could not help the victory smile adorn my lips as I knew I was finally going to get what I wanted."You should pass in front of us. It's not advisable to stay standing for a long-time during pregnancy. "

I glanced at Damon who seemed to have caught my masquerade and turned to the woman,"That's really nice of you. Thank you. ''

It was a little more than this masquerade to finally get to the cash and escape from this hellish ordeal.

Now that we were leaving the store, I took a deep breath through my nose and immediately pulled Damon away with a grimace.

'' Oh my God! I really thought they wouldn't finish with their boring questions."I assured myself, widening my eyes in fatigue.

I put Damon's groceries in the back and was soon back in the passenger seat followed closely by Damon.

"You're a naughty little liar." Damon glanced at me, mocking me, and I glared at him before lifting my T-shirt to remove the balloon. "A balloon? You do that with a simple balloon? ''

"And scotch!" I added casually, before glancing at Damon."Don't look at me like that. It was out of the question for me to stay in a waiting line with you so long. "

"I must admit I underestimated you, Mila." Damon said with a smirk, making me smile despite myself. "What do you think St. Stefan would think of that? ''

I immediately lost my smile to his insinuation and narrowed my eyes on him in annoyance."He will not think of that because you will not tell him anything. ''

"So, an authoritarian woman. I don't know if I agree to having a baby with a domineering wife."Damon laughed with a mischievous gleam in his eyes as I raised an eyebrow at his attention.

"So not funny, Damon."

Damon gauged me out of the corner of his eye, still sporting his smug smile, irritating me only by his silence. If there was one thing that was even more exasperating than Damon and his big mouth, it was Damon and his silence.

'' What?" I broke my arms across my chest with a scowl.

Damon turned to me, hilarious. "Damon Junior? ''

The simple name was enough to make me giggle and I could not help but let myself enjoy the moment. It was true that it was totally absurd and yet amusing for once.

'' Okay, I admit it's atrocious. "I admitted with a smile all the time on my face." But it wasn't enough to call his firstborn as the father in your day? ''

Damon's smile faded almost instantly as he gave me a look of surprise and I immediately regretted feeling so comfortable with Damon.

Today, I was surprised to forget many times with whom I was, and I already knew that I had to stop becoming so comfortable in the presence of Damon. He was not like Stefan and would never be. I could not befriend him. It was too dangerous. Not to mention that Stefan would probably have a panic attack if he learned my thoughts.

"It was." Agreed Damon, getting me out of my thoughts as I looked back at him.

I did not really need to look at him to know he had no intention of elaborating his answer and even though I found the strange urge to ask him questions about his human life, I knew that he would not answer me like Stefan.

Again, I could not just act like Elena and try to turn Damon into someone he was not. He was not Stefan and would never be and I had to be perfectly aware that I could never lower my guard to the vampire's side.

I was tired of this silence and I really needed a distraction from my thoughts, so I brought my hand for the car radio. **A pain that I'm used to Depeche Mode** was soon filling the cockpit and I found myself comfortable enough to sing the words aloud by slightly raising the volume knob.

I tilted my head slightly back and forth, gently tapping my fingers against the handle of the door and glanced out the window while still singing when I felt eyes on me.

I turned my attention to Damon and found that it was him who stared at me with a raised eyebrow, calling me.'' What's the matter? ''

'' You like the music of the 90s?" He questioned visibly surprised, making me shrug my shoulders nonchalantly.

"Only Depeche Mode." I recognized, relaxed.

"I feel like I'll miss you when I'm gone, Little Gilbert." Damon suddenly said, taking me completely by surprise as I stared at him with wide-eyed eyes. "Of course, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you if you repeat what I have told you to someone. "

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head at the threat, knowing that I must have known and turned my attention to the outside.

* * *

It turned out that the groceries that Damon had so longed to do was just a subterfuge to get in my home and prepare a dinner in which he intends to question the real intentions of Stefan and Elena.

I knew I should have been more on my guard when he came to Damon and was convinced that this afternoon had just been Damon's manipulation to know if I knew anything about Stefan's plan.

Although, I was pretty sure it had been totally different from what he expected.

However, it was not really my concern as I had left Jenna with Damon and was now relaxing on our couch. I zapped in continuity not finding the concentration in me to stay focused on one program and remained slightly disturbed by the revelation of Damon earlier. I knew it was all games and manipulation with him, but it made me think. He was probably the most execrable and unbearable person I knew but he was also a source of fun sometimes and I honestly thought I might miss him too.

It was totally crazy to think so when we knew what he had done to me and my family and Stefan for several months, but it was the truth. I had some interest in Damon, no matter what I wanted to recognize it or not.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I needed a reaction time before realizing that Jeremy had stolen the remote control and raised my legs on his own.

"Hey, I was watching this." I exclaimed with a scowl that Jeremy just flouted openly.

"You're screwing, yes." Jeremy corrected himself with a crooked smirk, narrowing my eyes at him in boredom.

"It doesn't matter. Give me the remote!" I ordered not in the mood to take his antics childish but it seemed that Jeremy was not the same opinion.

'' Or else what?" He laughed, rolling his eyes.

I raised an eyebrow in the challenge and narrowed my eyes on Jeremy. "Are you sure you want to play that? ''

Jeremy raised his eyes again to the ceilling raising more boredom from me. I readjusted on the couch with a slight, wicked smile to my brother's attention, which he frowned, puzzled.

In a fraction of a second, I grabbed the nearest magazine I could reach and rolled it into a cone to use it as a stick and began to hit as hard as I could on Jeremy.

'' Give me back ... that damn ... remote control!" I cried out between breaths as I continued to hit him.

"Mila! I swear you'll regret it! "Jeremy growled under my blows as he tried in vain to escape my attack." Stop it! Mila! So you … ''

Jeremy extricated himself from my blows and immediately began to shoot the other end of the magazine to get it back. Now, the war was well and truly declared and the history of the remote already forget.

'' I swear you'll regret it as soon as I get this magazine. '' Jeremy mustered, pulling all his forces on the end while I was gritting my teeth to keep a hold on the glossy paper.

"In your dreams, toad!" I was retorting, using Jeremy's oldest nickname from the time we were a child.

Jeremy immediately dropped the end of the magazine to my appellation by narrowing his eyes on me. ''You didn't dare-''

As soon as the words had left his lips, Jeremy charged for the living room table and grabbed a magazine before rolling it up like mine and began to hit me as I had before.

After that, it was big no matter what. We were now fighting with our newspapers and using them like stupid swords. Our screams were probably audible up to the kitchen and I had no doubt that Jenna would soon land in a matter of minutes. I sat up on my feet and positioned myself in a kind of guard and Jeremy copied my action almost instantly.

"To die you prepare, young Padawan!'' Jeremy exclaimed in an attempt to imitate Yoda and I couldn't help but burst into a joke.

"But what's the hell going on here?" Jenna's voice came up, confused and almost incredulous, and Jeremy and I turned our guilty faces at once to Jenna and Damon.

Ok, now it was very embarrassing!

I instantly lowered my magazine feeling the red cheer up under the look amused of Damon before turning my eyes on Jeremy and cross his eyes indicating nothing good.

''It's his fault !"I exclaimed immediately in the same way that Jeremy pointing me in accusation and I was not long to frown at the same time as Jeremy.

Jenna pinched the bridge of her nose, staring at us, tired and sighing. "Kids!"

I widened my eyes incredulously as I watched her back fleeing back to the kitchen before putting my eyes on Damon who were still staring at us with that mocking smile.

"No comment!" I declared gruffly, throwing a shine on Damon then, Jeremy.

Damon raised his hands in false surrender with his mocking smile."I didn't say anything."

I shook my head, irritated and turned to walk to the couch. I heard Jeremy's steps follow me and he was soon at my side again.

'' What is he doing there, by the way? '' Sprouts Jeremy, pointing his thumb over his shoulder at the kitchen, shaking my head.

"Deciding that since Elena was dating Stefan, he could start a stupid family dinner." I replied, slightly sweetening the truth.

I was sure he could hear us, and I was not going to let another opportunity to share my aversion to the vampire.

"He's pretty cool." Jeremy said, shrugging casually, picking up one of my grimaces.

"Cool is anything but what I would use to define Damon." I thought darkly, crossing my arms over my chest. "Delirious, selfish, pretentious and completely maniacal would be much more right."

"Whoa!" Blowed Jeremy, stunned. "You really don't like him."

''Do you remember Andrew Parker in the fifth year?" I asked, keeping a limited interest on the television screen.

Jeremy frowned in thought."The one who was pushing you in the corridors and cutting your hair in class? ''

"Yeah, that stupid guy!" I agreed, grinding my teeth at the simple memory. "Well, my aversion to Damon Salvatore is ten times worse than that guy."

Just then, Elena chose to make her appearance and walked straight for the kitchen. I could already imagine the shock in her eyes at the sight of Damon cooking in our own house and I could not help but roll my eyes in thought.

It was her fault. She had agreed to team up with Stefan on that one and now we all had to endure the presence of the vampire.

Suddenly, the pocket of my jeans buzzed drawing Jeremy's eyes on me and I snuck my hand inside to get my phone and see that I had a text message.

 _ **Felix: Please, shoot me! They're completely crazy !**_

A smirk crossed my lips as I read the text, and I shook my head slightly at his theatricality.

 _ **Me: I wish I could tell you that they mustn't be so terrible but knowing your mother, I think it would be a lie.**_

 _ **Felix: Believe me, you are far from reality. My grandmother wants to send me to a Christian congregation for and I quote:"Save me from the clutches of Satan who make me gay." And my grandfather keeps saying that if I'm gay it's my dad's fault and lack of manliness.  
**_  
I widened my eyes in disbelief and was so immersed in my reading of my message that I had not seen Jeremy left the couch to return with Damon at his side.

Damon had to sit next to me and clear his throat so that I could take my eyes off my screen just to frown and sigh audibly at his sight.

'' Who is it … ?"

"Are not you supposed to disturb Elena right now? "I was bored in a quiet whisper since Jeremy was in the room.

"Your brother offered me some video games. How could I say no?"Damon retorted, feigning a terrified look at the mere thought and brought a hand to the place where his dead heart was, rolling my eyes, annoyed.

I sighed heavily before I rolled my eyes and focused on my phone in an attempt to ignore the vampire. "It doesn't matter."

 _ **Me: Yes, it seems terrible! Do you think they will eventually accept it one day?**_

I tapped my fingers lightly against the back of my phone in anticipation of his answer and allowed me a look at the boys' game to find no surprise that Damon was leading the game. It was obvious that he was using his vampire reflexes to win.

My phone vibrated again in my hands briefly captivating the interest of the boys and I unlocked my screen again to read the text of Felix.  
I vaguely heard Damon's voice in the background as I struggled to read Felix's message.

 _ **Felix: I don't think so, but it's out of the question for me to have another of these family dinners on my own. Tomorrow night, you come to dine at home.  
**_

 _ **PS: I don't take No as an answer, bitch !**_

"Uh ... what? What did you say?" I asked out of my stupor, frowning at Damon's attention.

Damon copied my frown as he measured me carefully. "Who are you talking to? ''

"Surely this weird guy with whom she's everywhere in high school." Jeremy answered in my place, not hiding his contempt in his tone, making me glare at him.

''His name is Felix and you know him very well.'' I exploded on Jeremy, leaning over to look at him. '' Moreover, he's not weird. Only, different. ''

Damon raised a curious eyebrow, "The one who hit on me at the Grill? ''

'' He's gay?" Jeremy did not take his eyes off the screen as I rolled my eyes, irritated once again by Damon's intervention.

"Bravo, genius. You know how to do two and two."I said sarcastically, shaking my head and tapping a quick answer for Felix.

I felt Damon lean over me, calling out to me as he whispered, smirking. "Someone gets very touchy on the subjects."

Of course I became upset. Felix was as important to me as Stefan was to me and I was not going to stay silent when my idiot brother was acting like an asshole. Damon was already playing that role and he was tapping me enough on the system. I crossed my arms over my chest without even realizing it with a scowl and looked back at the game.

"Anyway, if you ever play, you're really strong." Jeremy said as he played with his controller in his hands and I could not help but roll my eyes.

"It's because he's cheating!" I whispered to myself as Damon smiled a mischievous smile.

''Oh, I'm fast learner."Openly mingled Damon while venting on the game before making me jump start as he pocked my side, unnoticed by Jeremy because of his vampire speed." And, I have good reflexes. ''

I stared at his light touch, breaking an incredulous glare at him before scooting further down the couch in a vain attempt to get away from the vampire.

Suddenly, Jeremy's phone flew, taking my eyes from Damon for the phone and I raised a curious eyebrow as my brother openly rejected the call by throwing his phone on the couch. I wanted to know what had aroused this reaction of Jeremy but chose to remain silent, unlike Damon who seemed to have understood nothing of the meaning of privacy.

'' Who did you just throw? ''

What was his problem with his indiscreet questions about our correspondents. He was looking for answers. I could feel his mistrust of Stefan all day long and even though I still wanted Stefan's back, I could not agree more with Damon. He did not trust him and unfortunately it was justified.

"That girl, Anna." Jeremy said absently."The hyper-obstinate kind."

I immediately feigned a flabbergasted air. "A girl is interested in you? Not possible.''

I smiled with a wide, mocking smile as Jeremy throw me a cold stare along the way as Damon smiled more as he glanced at me sideways.

Visibly my joke with Jeremy amused him.

Damon now realized that Mila was far more devious and malicious than he thought at first. She had changed considerably since the famous day he had met her in the woods and he could not deny the fact that he enjoyed more and more of her company. This was more puzzling for him since he did not care about humans and even less about a teenage girl suffering from the loss of her parents.

Something in Mila made him want to worry. It was then that Damon knew he had to open the tomb quickly and leave with Katherine as soon as possible.

"But hot?" He asked with a mischievous smile on his lips for the attention of Mila's twin and smiled all the more at Mila's annoyed comment.

"Predictable." She murmured, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah. But frankly weird. '' Conjured Jeremy emphasizing his point, making me roll my eyes again.

To hear my twin talking about a girl was not the idea of a good evening. In fact, to hear my brother talking about a girl with Damon was even more monstrous. I desperately wanted to leave this conversation, but I did not trust Damon enough with my brother to leave him with him.

"Pouf!" Exclaimed Damon, exaggeratingly, "Hot wins. And from far away, believe me. "

Jeremy let out a guttural laugh at Damon's comment, furiously exasperating me, and I climbed on my feet and hit him hard on the back of the head, gathering a little sore whistle from my idiot brother. "Hey! ''

I turned to Damon, narrowing my eyes, getting ready to give him a shine but noticed his stiff position.

He still had his active thumbs on the controller and staring at the screen but from what I could see, he was not really listening anymore or rather he was, but not about our conversation.

It did not really have to be an experienced physicist to understand that he was spying on Jenna and Elena's conversation but to be honest he did not really need supernatural hearing since they were not so stealthy that they thought so.

I could hear without much difficulty as Jenna declared how hot Damon was and I could already see the smile of contentment and pretension on the lips of Damon while Elena used her advantage to discriminate against Damon.

I elbowed neatly at Damon's ribs with a scowl. "Stop spying. Stalker scary ass! "

Damon falsely widened his eyes, pretending to be shocked by my action and turned to me trying to hide his smirk.

I was tired of the vampire's presence and stood up, smoothing my jeans with my hands to the comfort of my room when the doorbell rang followed closely by Elena's run for the door. I had no doubt about the identity of our guest and it seems that Damon no longer as he rose from the couch throwing the controller in full, harvesting Jeremy's annoyed groan.

I put my eyes on Damon and met his facetious eyes.

Without even realizing it, I was fighting with my elbows and my hips against Damon to reach the door first.

I really did not know where it came from, but I realized too late the air we had when I met the frowns coming from Elena and Stefan.

"Mila." Recognized Stefan visibly tense and I nodded in recognition just as awkward.

I had not seen Stefan since the other night and as much as I wanted to see him again, I did not really know how to act now. The air had thickened considerably, and the tension was palpable. Only it was not counting on Damon and his ability to enjoy tense moments.

Stefan glared at him visibly surprised at his attention, which only made the dark-haired vampire smile more. Damon greeted Stefan in all his splendor making me roll his eyes with boredom.

Stefan was quick to regain his irritation at his brother's attention as he turned his attention back to Elena and me. "We need to talk."

I did not need to be in the loop to understand that it meant something about the opening of the crypt and I knew at that moment that it was my moment to make my exit.

I was perhaps against Stefan for the betrayal of his brother, but I was not on the side of Damon either.

I did not want the grave to be open as much as Stefan, but I really could not do anything about it.

All I knew was that I wanted to stay as far from the supernatural as possible and even if it meant keeping me out of their projects, it was more than necessary.

I watched as Elena ventured after Stefan without even wincing reminding me of the stupidity of my sister closely followed by Damon who gave me a raised eyebrow in my fixed state.

"Do you hear that? "I called the other three who stared at me with confusion." Jeremy calls me. I'd better go. Bye. ''

I did not even give them the chance to hold me as I ran almost to the living room and let myself fall back onto the couch with a sigh.

'' What is happening? "Asked Jeremy curiously as he gauged me sideways with a slight frown.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." I replied hastily, running my hands over my tired face.

These vampires and all their stories were going to be my death one day and I could already feel the toll of the last few months.

Only when I thought I finally got a rest from all this supernatural crap, Elena, Damon and Stefan again chose to make their entrance. I heard Elena come running after Damon, who entered the living room with a determined expression that did not inspire me any good, and stepped on the armrest by my side, gauging Jeremy.

"Say you, I know you've found an old cool thing like an ancestor's memory." Damon popped in, his tone mixed with false interest and sarcasm making me turn to look at Stefan expectantly "Where did you found it exactly?"

Stefan gave me a reassuring look, but it was useless. I really did not understand the situation and Damon hovering over my twin like a hawk watching his prey did nothing to calm my nerves.

"Be nice." Damon demanded, his voice smooth and threatening."Just answer me."

I could not help but approach instinctively Jeremy in worry. My twin did not know what Damon was capable of, but I was, and that tone was just a demonstration of his impatience.

''It's a joke, there."Said Jeremy incredulously, laughing lightly, making me look up at Elena and Stefan in urgency at Damon's dark expression.

"Jeremy." Elena said, just as tense as I was if it's not over." Who did you talk to about Jonathan Gilbert's diary outside the history teacher? "

I watched Jeremy as he paused his game and glanced sideways visibly annoyed by the insistence and slight confusion.

'' Why is everyone obsessed with this thing? '' Jeremy shouted at me, just like the others, and I put myself forward to capture his attention.

"Jeremy, answer the question." I also intimated and calm that I could handle even if I became more and more panicked by the second.

Jeremy rolled his eyes, not hiding his irritation, but replied."To this girl, Anna."

To that I immediately rested my attention on Damon and saw him frown, perplexed."The weird sexy?"

The tension was far too present in the room and as usual, the pressure was too hard to handle. I had to let go of a commonsense remark to just relax through all of this.

I smiled briefly as I looked at Damon. '' See? Another nickname. ''

The tacit exchange between Damon and me was brief, but Damon's smirk was enough to alert Stefan and Elena, who gauged us with confusion and apprehension.

'' Who's this Anna?'' Stefan was not slow to ask as he tried to put the conversation back on the right path and keep Damon's attention away from me.

"That, I'll find out very quickly."Damon replied, casting a determined glance at Stefan over his shoulder.

Just then, the phone chose to ring and I got up in the hope of escaping the situation but Elena got ahead of me. I gesticulated on the spot in exasperation and bit the inside of my cheek to prevent my irritation to be heard. I did not know if I had already said it, but I really hated this supernatural shit.

"And you, how did you know her?" Damon asked, turning his attention to Jeremy, making me look at my brother in apprehension.

This city was just a damn dangerous magnet and our family was constantly in the crossfire each time. Only Elena and I knew about the dangers of the night and I was seriously worried about my twin.

"Well, I know her. That's all. "Jeremy replied with an attitude that was also slowly losing his patience before adding."She must join me at the bar. "

I widened my eyes in panic at that while Damon exclaimed hastily.

'' Perfect. I'll take you there."He said in a tone of command rather than a proposition and I took a step forward immediately."Come !''

''Um! Well, all right."Agreed Jeremy, getting up in his turn, but I stood in the way and called out to Damon at the same time.

"You." I called, pointing at Jeremy in a command tone."You're staying here."

My twin frowned at my tone just as Damon seemed more annoyed while Stefan's eyes widened slightly in concern.'' Mila ... ''

"No, Stefan." I cut him before he could say anything else and crossed my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes to the dark-haired vampire with a burst of courage. "You do what you want but you will not mix my brother in all that, it's clear. ''

I could see Damon's eyes darken considerably at that and the tension deepen between us as Stefan watched for Damon as if he was going to rush on a kill from one minute to the next. I could almost feel the electricity in the pad of my fingers and was fully aware of the deafening sound of my heartbeat.

"OK!" Intervened Jeremy slightly raising his voice, but I did not leave Damon once with his eyes. "Can I know what's going on here? ''

"It's nothing, Jeremy. You should go there."Stefan interrupted me, glancing at me warning me not to intervene as if he knew something I did not know.

I wanted to trust him, and I probably did it, but it was Damon I was suspicious of. The mere idea of the vampire with my brother was enough to send me into a kind of uncontrollable panic.

Damon turned his attention to his brother before going back to watching me, probably challenging me to intervene this time and I knew it was useless to try to stop them.

I followed Jeremy's receding back without ever taking my eyes off his figure until the door closed on both of them.

I felt Stefan join me as soon as the door closed but made no gesture to recognize him. I suspected that his acceptance of leaving my brother with Damon was part of his plan, but I really did not want to have anything with his damn machinery right now. I was not ready to let my brother be used as bait whenever it suited him and even if I trusted him.

"Don't worry, he'll be fine," Tried Stefan to reassured me, putting his hand on my shoulder in a comforting gesture, but I grudgingly raised his touch and turned to him.

'' Can you assure me?"I snapped," Can you look me in the eye and tell me he's safe with your brother? That he will not hurt him? ''

Stefan was overwhelmed with guilt as he gauged me with his familiar frown before resuming with an almost beseeching tone.

"Mila, we needed him to leave. We must get this book before him and it was not possible with Damon here. "

I shook my head sadly."There is no _us_ in that, Stefan. I understand why you do this, and I thank you, but I can't participate in that. You're probably the most trusted person here, but I can't, and I don't want to participate in all this supernatural crap. ''

Stefan looked at the girl in front of him and could easily see the termination as well as something he had not seen in her yet.

He regretted hiding part of the truth from her parent's accident because now he could easily see that it had affected her mind about it.

Only he could not force her to see from his point of view and would probably never force her. She was much more precious to him to play with her like that. He just reluctantly nodded his head in understanding and looked at her back as she climbed the stairs towards her room. He would come back for her and do everything in his power to get back to her side. It was a promise he made for himself.


	13. Chapter 13 : Don't forget about us

**Chapter thirtheen : Don't Forget about us  
**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I didn't really know what to think. I was beyond confused and more lost by the latest events. As I had planned, Stefan's plan to thwart Damon had failed and Elena had found herself with vampire blood in her system. Damon had forced it into her but that did not stop there. Indeed, Elena had been kidnapped by this famous Anna who was also a vampire. She had approached Jeremy to reach the Salvatore brothers and had demonstrated once again all that I did not want. She had involved my twin.  
Stefan tried to hold me to Elena's side, but I refused. I knew it was not worthy of me, but I wanted a semblance of normalcy in my life and I knew that I could never get it if I was constantly involved with the brothers. I still remembered Stefan's expression to my rejection._

 _I stood in front of my window trying to realize that Elena's disappearance was real and not just a misunderstanding. Stefan had called me to explain the situation and was quick to join me to try to rally me in search of my sister._

 _As much as I wanted to help him, it was impossible for me. What had happened to Elena was enough to hold me back as to my involvement in all of this. Damon gave her his blood and could have killed her without even flinching, leaving me with a vampire sister. I was not ready to incur that risk. I sincerely thought that I could be a part of Stefan's world but as the weeks progressed and the danger grew bigger. But that was not what stopped me. No, it was the fact that the more weeks went by and more people were involved. It was not only Stefan, Damon, Elena and me._

 _Now, there was also Bonnie and Jeremy even though he was not aware of it yet. I could not sit there and watch everyone I knew become part of it. Who knew what would happen next. Elena's friends will be involved and then what? Felix and Jenna, too? No, I could not let these things happen.  
_

 _I heard the doorbell followed closely by Jenna's perky voice and I looked away from my window when my door was opened just to meet Stefan's worried gaze.  
_

 _"Hey!" I greeted, jumping on my feet as he stepped into my room before closing the door behind him.  
_

 _"Mila, I'm sorry." Stefan immediately apologized as I was about to speak, surprising me slightly."I promise you we'll get her out."  
_

 _I bit the inside of my cheek by shaking my head knowingly what I was going to say was going to make a big impact in our relationship and turned to look outside before turning my attention to Stefan staring at me, puzzled .  
_

 _"I trust you, Stefan. I know_ _ **you're**_ _going to find her. "I assured myself, insisting in spite of me on the use of_ _ **you**_ _, and I could see Stefan's expression falling into comprehension.  
_

 _"But you're not going to help me, are you? "Concluding Stefan looking really affected by this and I nodded slowly, making him take another step towards me to stop at my height." Mila, Elena has vampire blood in her veins. Do you understand what that implies? "  
_

 _I knew what that meant. I was not a fool and something in me broke at that moment.  
_

 _"And because of whom, Stefan? Huh?'' I exploded in a burst. '' Damon is to blame but the truth is that you are all to blame. Elena put herself in this alone. Who will be next? Me? Or Bonnie? Caroline? Maybe Jeremy, Jenna or Felix, huh? I can stay away, I will not spoil it. Sorry, Stefan but I will not be able to do it. "  
_

 _I knew from the moment that these words had left my lips that I regretted them. The guilty and hurt expression on Stefan's face was simply untenable._ _  
Stefan left after that. Saying that he understood and that he was sorry again for training in all this and I had never felt so bad in all my life. I was supposed to be his friend, but I had everything in place. I had wanted to spend the rest of the day in my blankets and hide my shame to be such a bitch but unfortunately, I had to go to dinner at Felix. I did not want to go there, and I knew I would have done better not to do it considering the turn of the evening._

* * *

 _I was getting off my SUV when the ringing of my phone rang inside the pocket of my jacket. I took out the device and unlocked the screen to see that I had a text message._

 _ **Damon: Look who is not so brave… I would have thought that you would be side by side with Stefan to save your dear big sister since she could become a vampire.**_

 _I shot my screen in irritation at Damon's little spike and tapped a response in a hurry._

 _ **Me: I'm not stupid that's all. You're going to open the tomb even though you're trying to stop yourself, and I'm simply extending my life expectancy by doing that. Elena was stupid enough to get herself involved in all of this. I'm lucky to get by, I don't intend to enter the crossfire. In addition, I have a life, I already had more important projects than to see you open this damn crypt ...**_

 _I replaced my phone in my pocket thinking that it would be enough to stop Damon in his desire to torment me and enlisted in the alley Fell for the door. The sun was starting to set, and the sky looked more purple, pink than blue, exposing me to a simply magnificent sight. I let myself be distracted a little longer by the beauty of this show when the buzz in my pocket resounded again. I sighed as I picked up my phone._

 _ **Damon: Sage decision. I'm going to get this tomb open and nothing will stop me. Saint Stefan is aware of your decision? I bet he must be annihilated. Poor thing. Although you are still involved Mila, whether you like it or not. Projects? It's selfish, Mila. I don't know what to think about it.**_

 _I rolled my eyes in annoyance and put my phone in my jacket. I did not even know how Damon had my number, let alone why he was sending me messages. We were not friends and I did not want to read a new reminder of my selfishness._

 _This arrogant bastard must have suspected my state of mind. I was standing in front of Felix's door with indecision before finally hitting three raps just to be greeted by Felix himself._

 _'' Thank God. You're here!" He exclaimed, pulling me inside without even taking a breath and I stared at him staggering a little to watch him close the door.  
_

 _'' Whoa! Well, hello there."I greeted with a roll of sardonic eyes making Felix turn to me." No time to joke? ''  
_

 _"They're going to drive me crazy." Felix sighed, leaning heavily against the door, giving an alert glance to the living room at the agreement of a noisy chair rattling.  
_

 _I turned to face the incoming person just as alert as Felix and relaxed slightly at the sight of Mr. Fell._ _Felix's father was the opposite of his wife and I could see more similarity between him and Felix than towards his own mother._

 _Obviously, he enjoyed the presence of his in-laws as much as Felix as he sported a tired mine and drawn features. His tie usually so well-arranged hung limp around his neck and he ran his hand over his face in frustration before recognizing me.  
_

 _"Mila. I don't know you're going to pass by." He greeted with a weak, forced smile before eyeing Felix with a stern look."You invited her, I guess."  
_

 _I stiffened immediately, feeling uncomfortable and turned my accusing attention on Felix. He did not warn his parents that I was to be here. I felt ridiculous now.  
_

 _"Yes, it was out of the question for me to listen to them babble for longer on my account." Felix accepted with some determination and frustration that I had never seen in him before.  
_

 _This dinner was really taking a toll on him and I could see it now. He physically and morally exhausted._

 _Honestly, I did not think Felix's family could be so unbearable as that, but it was before meeting them. It was probably the worst dinner of my life, even at the Lockwood's when I surprised Aunt Jenna and Uncle John kissing under the table. Felix's grandparents were condescending and venomous in every sense of the word. They had spent the rest of the evening humiliating Felix and Mr. Fell without embarrassment and were probably the worst people I had met. Even Damon seemed healthy in front of them and that was saying little._

 _Every minute supports one more opportunity to break the two Fell men and no matter what we did or said to contradict them, they always got the last word._

 _I did not really have much trouble understanding Mrs. Cooper-Fell's exuberant personality now. She had obviously been stigmatized in a model throughout her childhood, and the moment she had freed herself from the family home, she had blossomed. It was strange to think that some family could be so between her. I remembered our family dinner. They were not the most glorious or the most spectacular, but they were my best memories. Especially our Christmas meals. I remembered that when I was still a child, I waited for more meals than the arrival of Christmas presents. Of course, it was always a plus, but the presence of my family was enough for me.  
The simple thought brought me back to the last Christmas I had with my parents. When everything was still simple and painless._

* * *

 _It had showed that year and my parents had lit the chimney fires to warm us up. The Christmas air could be felt throughout the house as I went down the stairs to find my parents and Elena finish putting the last ball on the tree while Jeremy tried to take a bite of the biscuit from the plate away from the prying eyes. It was a tradition._

 _From the first of December, we would each bring a Christmas bauble on the fir branches until Christmas day when it would be fully decorated. The simple sight adorned a warm smile on my lips and I finished down the stairs and was greeted by a loving embrace of my mother followed by a kiss on the forehead.  
_

 _''What do you think, honey?'' She asked, looking at the Christmas tree with a benevolent smile.  
_

 _I leaned in the warmth of her touch and watched as my father put the finishing touches on the garlands. The lights came to life and the sight just amazed me. Christmas had always been my favorite holiday and today was no exception to tradition.  
_

 _"I love it." I replied, detaching myself from my mother to join Jeremy on the couch and hit his playful hand holding a biscuit.  
_

 _"Hey!" He exclaimed with a slight frown before turning his gaze on me and being carried away by my contagious smile.  
_

 _If I had known it would be my last Christmas with my family together, I would have benefited more._

* * *

 _After dinner with the Fell, which lasted only a few hours but seemed like an eternity to me, I was just going home to be greeted by Jenna. With the latest events, I totally forgot Duke's party and it seems that Jeremy and Elena were there. Later, I had learned that,_

 _Jeremy had been attacked by Anna who also wanted to get in the crypt and Elena and Stefan finally helped Damon get what he wanted. As he had said, he would open that tomb, and no one would stop him from getting what he wanted. Well, that was what I had thought of that moment. Only later in the evening, I had a surprise._

 _The memories of my family left me with a gloomy impression. I needed to distract myself from my thoughts and that's why I was now sitting on my bed, legs crossed in Indian position with my fingers grazing the strings of my guitar. Without realizing it, I let myself be carried away by the melody and began to hum and then sing in a soft whisper a lullaby that my mother often sang to me when I was a child.  
_

 _'' Remember those walls I built, Well, baby they're tumbling down, And they did not even put on a fight, They did not even make up a sound, I found a way to let you in, But I never really had a doubt, Standing in the light of your halo, I got my angel now."I murmured in rhythm keeping my eyes on the ground when a noise beckoned me._

 _I stopped in the middle leaving a high-pitched sound fill my room and looked for the source of the sound just to frown at the sight of Damon._

 _He was not looking at me, his eyes were focused on my floor and he seemed barely able to stand up. I thought he was probably drunk, but further observation made me think something was wrong. His face was empty of emotion, his eyes plunged into nothingness as he sank into a sort of abyss and his back was arched. He seemed to tear, vulnerable. Something that did not look like Damon Salvatore.  
_

 _I watched him in more detail and could see his hair in a sort of mess as he had tried to pull them off. His black designer shirt was ajar revealing his pale chest, but it was not what prompted me._

 _His expression. He was broken, annihilated, and he seemed ready to break at any moment. I did not know if I was reassured to be in his presence at that moment. He did not look like the Damon I knew, and he made me worry. I did not like feeling like that for the dark-haired vampire, but I could not help but feel like that at the sight in front of me.  
_

 _Finally, Damon broke the heavy silence in an imperceptible whisper. I saw his lips move but I did not hear what he said. I frowned even more anxiously, and he repeated, keeping his eyes in the air.  
_

 _"She wasn't there. She never was."He murmured, his voice trembling leaving me totally confused as to what he was suggesting.  
_

 _I ventured to get off my bed, gathering shivers when my bare feet touched the cold floor and took a thoughtful step with a slight frown, anxious.  
_

 _''Damon,"I called softly, hesitantly." I don't understand. I ... tell me. "  
_

 _Damon jerked his head up sharply, his icy blue eyes staring at me as my heartbeat picked up in anxiety._

 _They no longer held any glimmer of mischief or calculation, they were just glassy, devoid of any feeling except pain, sadness and sorrow. There was a long, heavy silence between us as we stood there, staring into each other's eyes without exchanging a word, and_ _Damon ventured to speak again.  
_

 _"Why?" He asked suddenly, leaving me even more confused about the situation. "Why don't I have the right to happiness? She knew where I was."  
_

 _Honestly, I had no answer to that, but I knew that seeing Damon so broken, broke me a little bit more. The sight of him like that was just unbearable. I was not sure I understood what he was saying but he was annihilated, and I could not leave him like that._

 _Arming myself with all the courage and audacity I could muster, I took a step forward and slowly but surely brought my hand to his._

 _From the moment I closed my fingers on his, his eyes fell on our intertwined hands and I looked up to meet his haunting orbs and began to drag him with me for my bed. He did not resist, just following me, worrying me more.  
_

 _I pushed my guitar slightly to the side before sitting down and pulling Damon with me. He was silent, haggard._

 _I did not really know what to do like I said before, I was not really the right person when we were looking for comfort.  
_

 _However, I knew that I could not leave him like that without doing anything. Damon was partly right. I would still be involved but not for the same reasons they had to think. I would always be involved because for some strange reason I felt much closer to the Salvatore brothers than anyone else. Stefan counted a lot for me and obviously, I cared about Damon in a strange way.  
_

 _Against all odds, I leaned over Damon and wrapped my arms around his frame, letting my head rest on his chest, where his heart was to be. I was surprised to hear him beating and looked up at Damon before I melted slightly to his appearance.  
_

 _I rested my head on his chest letting me rock through the gentle beating of his heart and grabbed his hand resting beside him to give him reassuring pressure._

 _ **Damon POV**_

 _Damon was totally still under Mila's touch, he felt cold. As much outside as inside and even with the ambient temperature of Mila. He did not really know why he came here in the first place._

 _After going to Anna's hotel room and her mother to get answers about Kather-she had never been to the crypt.  
One hundred and forty-five years to wait for nothing._ _In all his life he had never felt so destroyed. He had wandered along the streets of Mystic Falls and had ended up in front of the Gilbert household._

 _He thought he was inflicting an even duller pain, but he had heard her song. Her voice and he could not help but walk to the side of the house to hear more._

 _Despite the darkness of his heart, her voice had seemed soothed for a moment his pain. Without realizing it, he had climbed up her window and found himself_ _in her room. She had continued to sing, not yet noticing his presence and being carried away by her voice and the sweet scent of almond and vanilla that she seemed to carry wherever she was.  
_

 _Now, Mila was leaning on him, her hair still wet from the shower soaking his shirt but that was the last of his concern. His gaze rested on her small frail hand covering his widest underscoring their difference in many ways._

 _He never thought that when he got to her room, he would end up hugging Mila, but it was nice ... sort of._

 _He felt supported and it had been a long time since he felt that way. He let his fingers intertwine with her and brought his other arm around the frame of the brunette, approaching her a little more of him._

 _"You have the right to happiness, Damon." Mila whispered in a low whisper, slicing a little deeper inside him. "Everybody has the right."_


	14. Chapter 14 : Who we want to be

**Chapter fourteen : Who we want to be**

It had been several days since the crypt had been opened.

Finally, I had learned what had made Damon in this state and I still had a hard time believing that Katherine had deceived them like that. Although thinking about it, I had already pondered the subject during my trip to Georgia with Damon and it was obvious that they did not know anything about the real Katherine Pierce. Neither her past nor her present. But that was not what weighed the most on my mind.

Unfortunately, as I had anticipated, people had been involved in all this damn world and this time it was Bonnie. I was really worried about the young witch. She and her grandmother had helped open the crypt and Bonnie's grandmother had paid the price.

When I thought about it, I was still deeply shocked. For the whole city, it was a simple heart attack but only those who were in secret knew the real reason for her death. I had fully understood why Bonnie had decided to go away with her family for a while and could not blame the girl if she hated vampires now.

After all, she was also kidnapped at the same time as Elena and she was the first to lose a loved one to this sick world. Only something in me told me that it was only the first of a long list and that bloody feeling kept tormenting my mind.  
I was brooding that churning feeling in the pit of my stomach from the moment I'd learned about Bonnie's grandmother and had not stopped spurring back and forth since I'd woken up this morning.

For now, there was nothing supernatural to report. It was like the calm before the storm and I really did not like that feeling.  
I passed my window again at the door of my room, my frown staining my features and ran my hand over my face in nervousness. I really had to find a fucking distraction before I ended up triggering a spark with my strides. I wondered why Jenna had not yet appeared in my room to see if I had not brought in a whole horde of people from my room.

What could you do? Playing guitar? No, not after what happened last time.

Then as I stimulated towards my closet, I stopped short while gauging the white door with different posters and other pictures with a pensive look. I knew that I had promised myself never to take it back, but it was the only thing that had the gift to arouse all my concentration and could pull me out of all my concerns. I knew it would not be easy, but I had to try. To learn to love what I had lost and to pass something. I had always loved that, and I could not stop like that because my parents were dead. No, my father would not have agreed with that.

With a deep breath, I opened the door of my closet and looked up at the top shelf. My black sports bag was always in the same place that I had left it last time and was dusting like most of the objects that were.

A twinge in my heart overwhelmed me at the sight and I was not so sure of my idea. Not finding the strength in me to pull it now, I decided to change myself before to give me a little more courage than necessary.

I closed the door behind me and walked straight to the chest of drawers where I kept my usual training outfits. I opened the last drawer and grabbed biker jeans and a black short-sleeved crop-top t-shirt before spinning for the bathroom. I locked the access to Elena's room and soon swapped my comfortable shorts and my sweat for my clothes before tying my hair in a half-bun on the top of the skull leaving the rest of my hair fall back down my back.

Once ready, I crossed my reflection in the mirror again and felt again this famous pinch to my own view. It was a long time since I had not seen myself that way and I did not really know if I was more disturbed by the fact that I had left so much time or so to try to put it back.

Honestly, I was much more confused about my own thoughts than I let it appear. With all the frustration and confusion, I felt, I made my way back to my closet and pulled the bag without even looking at it.

I had to do a slight double-take to prevent it from falling to the ground having forgotten the imposing weight that he represented and felt as it weighed much more. I felt like I was carrying a dead weight and it was enough for me to take a fresh look at the object of the crime to know that I could never do it alone. I needed some support and I already had in mind the person I wanted with me.

Only we were not really the best friends at the moment and after what happened with Damon, I knew I had to make an honorable almond.

The dark-headed vampire may have been execrable most of the time, but he was right. I would always be involved, and it was time for me to regain control.

I donned a pair of black motorcycle boots and my leather jacket and took the gym bag before catching my car keys and closing my door to my room behind me. I was about to leave the house when Jenna came out of the living room opening.

"Hey, Mila. Where-"She gauged me from head to toe with a puzzled expression before her gaze fell on my gym bag, making her eyes widen as she turned her attention back to me." Are you planning on restart?"

Her visibly flabbergasted expression made me smile and I gestured slightly anxiously."That was the idea. But I don't know ... maybe it's too early. "

"Mila, look at me." Jenna stepped in, taking a determined step in front of me as she put both her hands on my shoulders. ''You are brave to resume. Do it at your own pace. ''

I was sure we had all changed after the death of our parents, but I noticed that Jenna too. She was no longer that clumsy young adult who used to run away with the slightest problem. She had grown up just like us and those simple words and the realization of the person she had become was enough to give me the courage to cross the threshold.

I was counting right for my SUV but after thinking, I turned around knowing that Jenna was still behind me and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek before giving her a sincere smile.

"You should give yourself more credit, Aunt Jenna. You're a good guardian."I said before turning around and shouting over my shoulder as I went to my SUV." Bye, Jenna. I will not be late. "

I had driven all the way to the boarding house with only one idea in mind. I knew that Stefan was not with Elena and I really needed to do things with him. I sincerely hoped that he would accept my apology even though I did not know yet how I was going to introduce my hooby him. I could not even imagine how he must have felt after what I had told him.

Finally, I parked behind Damon's Camaro and quickly got off my SUV and headed for the door.

In other circumstances, I would have entered without even knocking but after the last events, I was not sure of anything, so I ventured to ring and waited patiently on the doorstep. I allowed myself a discreet glance at the edge of the forest and turned back quickly when I heard the opening of the door just to feel my anguish rise to Stefan's view.

'' Mila?" Recognized Stefan visibly surprised by my visit and I awkwardly raised my hand as a greeting with a wobbly smile.

"Hey, Stefan." I said uncertainly.

''Why didn't you come in directly?'' Stefan asked at once with a puzzled frown as if it was the most absurd thing I'd done. "Are you all right? ''

I exhilarated at that by slightly widening my eyes. "Oh! Yes, yes, everything is fine. It's just ... well, you know ... "

'' I know what?"Asked Stefan with a raised eyebrow looking more bored by my stuttering than anything else, leaving me really worried about our relationship.

And if, now, he could not even bear me anymore? If that were the case, then I would seriously have a big problem. I really did not know if I could stand and I would only have to blame myself.

'' Well, you know ... '' I hesitated even more uncertain as he frowned. '' With the last time we talked to each other and then, what I said and finally, you know ...'' I was so taken in my rant that I did not even see Stefan's teasing smile until I put my eyes on him again, panting and narrowing my eyes on him. '' Wait, are you making fun of me? ''

This time, Stefan let out an amused laugh as he raised his hands in surrender and smiled innocently, "Never, Mila."

"You," I pointed out, punching his chest hard with a scowl. "Fool, vampire boy."

Stefan laughed silently at my little joke before stepping aside to wave back to me with a welcoming smile, but I shook my head with a smirk.

'' Actually, I thought we could take a little walk in the forest.'' I suggested in a mysterious tone that only stung Stefan as he raised an eyebrow, questioning me by nodding his head.

''Is there any particular reason for you to be dressed like Damon?"Questioned Stefan, feigning nonchalance even though I could pick up the disapproving suspicion.

 _ **Stefan POV**_

Stefan gauged Mila with much more attention now. He knew she had never been one to wear bright colors, but there was something in her outfit that reminded him too much of his brother and he was not sure he appreciated that. He was aware of the closeness that this two had had over the last few months and if Stefan was more reassured by the fact that his brother was no longer trying to kill his closest friend, part of him was still on his guard. Then, just when he thought that, a brief voice inside his mind screamed.

Jealousy.

He frowned despite himself. He was not jealous. Certainly not of Damon and Mila. He knew how loyal Mila was to him and he did not doubt that for a moment. But could it be that he secretly envied the time his older brother had spent with his closest friend ? He was not sure. In fact, he was never sure of anything when it came to Damon but one thing was certain, it was that he was certainly not going to let his unstable brother ruin his friendship with Mila.

"First, I'm not dressed like Damon." Mila stepped up, rolling her eyes in a slightly bored tone."Then c'mon Stefan. You don't trust me ? ''

A sincere smile crossed Stefan's lips at Mila's expression and he shook his head dramatically,"Well, give me time to take my coat."

 _ **Mila POV**_

"I'll wait for you in the car." I said in a slightly happy tone as I bounced on my feet in the slight excitement and apprehension of what we were going to do.

I was absently tapping fingers on my steering wheel as I flew glances at the boarding house in impatience and clicked a faint smile when I saw Stefan go out before turning on the ignition. I watched as he climbed in his lap and buckled his belt before looking at me.

"So where are we going like this? "He asked visibly curious about our destination and I deepened my smile in a mischievous smile.

"It's a surprise!" I exclaimed, letting the excitement and nervousness play with the edge of my voice, making Stefan gauge me with a raised eyebrow.

I turned my attention to the road and stepped out of Salvatore Lane and soon made my way to Mystic Falls.

The radio music played in the background and a comfortable silence settled between us. I left Stefan to his own thoughts as I wandered in mine.

However, my anxiety began to show again as we approached our destination and I was holding back my grip on the wheel.

Suddenly, I was very aware of the gym bag in my trunk, and as I was earlier, I was not so sure I wanted to continue. I could feel my heart speeding up into anguish, which immediately prompted Stefan to turn to me with a concerned expression.

"Mila, are you all right?" Stefan asked, his tone betraying his obvious concern and I glanced sideways at the vampire.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." I said hastily before taking a deep breath and blowing."I'll be fine, Stefan."

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me what we are going to do?'' Stefan insisted with a deeper frown as he gauged me with slight distrust.

"I'm sure Stefan! "I snorted in nervousness before biting the inside of my cheek and then slowly resume. '' Besides, we have arrived. ''

I parked on the side before removing the keys and unbuckling my seat belt to get out of the vehicle. Stefan followed me quickly and raised an eyebrow, confused by inspecting the place with skepticism.

"Mila, we're in the middle of nowhere." Stefan said incredulously, rolling my eyes as I walked around my truck to reach the trunk.

I opened the trunk as Stefan walked to join me and gauged the bag a little longer than it would take in apprehension.

'' What's in the bag?'' Stefan asked at my side, getting me out of my thoughts.

"The reason we're here." I answered enigmatically as I raised the bag with a slight difficulty.

I really needed to get back into practice. My arms were like spaghetti without any strength. I closed the trunk by turning to Stefan with a secret smile before starting to plunge into the forest.

I vaguely raised my eyes to the sky to inspect the weather and knew it was a good day to practice. The sky was a slight pale gray announcing a next rain but still far enough to know that we had time before us. The wind was almost non-existent which was one of the main requirements.

"Are you really sure you don't want me to carry this bag?'' Stefan insisted again, probably for the tenth time since we walked. "It looks rather heavy."

"As much as your sense of servitude conquered me Stefan, we are no longer in eighteen hundred. I can carry my bags by myself."I teased with a smirk as I focused my attention on him.

"Meaning of servitude? Conquered?'' Repeated Stefan, copying my sly smile.'' And after that, you're calling me eighteen hundred. ''

"See?'' I exclaimed, pretending a shocked expression.'' You're spinning on me. ''

Only, Stefan was not ready to let himself go by my return as he continued. "Good. At least I will have been able to redo your education like a real lady. "

"Hey!" I cried, hitting playful his arm with my free hand making Stefan laugh openly. "I'm a real lady. Besides, I will have made a great impression in your time. "

''You would hate to live in my day.''Objected Stefan with a smile amused by the simple thought, making me frown slightly frown in confusion.

'' Why this? "I asked, curious.

I liked hearing about Stefan's life experiences.

"You probably would have been part of high society. A bourgeois most likely. You would have taken classes at a school for girls and then finished at your sixteen to stay at home until your father found you a suitable husband and would offer a profitable enough business in exchange."I was listening with an undisguised assiduity and could not help but grin at the thought. Indeed, I would not have liked to live in 1864. "Reading and the arts would have been your only occupation, but you will not have been happy. Only accommodated by this simple life. ''

Finally, I stopped when I recognized quite easily the place my father had made me discover and dropped the sports bag, causing some fallen leaves of the flying trees in the air accompanied by dirt and dust. Stefan paused in his tracks at the same time as me to turn around with a thick eyebrow arched in interrogation.

"Very good." I announced, arming myself with courage to drop myself at the bag's waist and open one of the side pockets to take out a large sheet of wrapped cardboard."First, you have to promise not to make fun of me and then talk to no one about it."I walked to the tree farthest from the clearing, raising my voice a little more each time I took a step away from Stefan.

"Ok, you're acting really strange, Mila." Stefan said, his voice slightly on the edge as he screamed to reach me as I made my way back to him to stop at his height.

"Do you remember when we did the little banal talk of knowledge? What color do you prefer? Your favorite animals, etc."I recollected distractedly as I unzipped my leather jacket before folding it on the floor and reaching for the closing." I told you that I didn't do any physical activity whatsoever.''

I spread the edges of the bag apprehensively and let my hand brush the metal nostalgically before arming myself with enough courage to catch my bow in my hand and straighten up against Stefan. "I lied to you. ''

 _ **Stefan POV**_

Stefan's eyes widened at the sight of the big bow in Mila's small hands and he unconsciously took a step back before refocusing his gaze on her face.'' You know how to wield a bow? ''

Decidedly, Mila turned out to be full of surprise.

When he thought he knew her, she would always come with a kind of sudden and disturbing new reaction. He could easily tell that was not any bow. It was a kind of steel and seemed heavier than Mila herself, yet she seemed perfectly comfortable with this deadly weapon in her hands.

"I don't know how to wield a bow, Stefan." Objected Mila frowning on Stefan in concern now as she smiled pretentiously."I excel in this area."

'' Really? '' Questioned Stefan with a mischievous smile.

 _ **Mila POV**_

'' Hm, hm! "I hummed as I searched for my arrows inside the bag."In fact, I started competing at the age of seven and continue since. It was something between my father and me. You know, a father / daughter thing.''

My tone had suddenly become sadder as I was now eyeing my bow and arrows with nostalgia.

"I understand." Stefan agreed, reminding me of his presence and I turned to him. "But why archery? ''

I nonchalantly shrugged at that not sure myself. "I don't really know. I have always had this kind of strange attraction towards the arches. My father had taken me to a gun shop and the moment I saw a bow, I knew I wanted to do it. "

"So, you know how to use a weapon." Stefan said.

"Yeah, it's not like I could use it against vampires but, yes." I said with a roll of distracted eyes as I hooked my arrow before taking a step forward, exceeded Stefan.

I stabilized my feet in the ground, feeling the earth crunched under my boots and raised my bow to wear vision. I lined my shoulders in the same line as my hips and glanced at Stefan to find him staring at me.

I turned my attention to the target I had hung on the tree and took a deep breath while pulling the string of my compound bow, keeping my eyes focused on my line of sight. I held my elbow in a perfect right angle and released the rope at the same time as my breathing.

The sound of the arrow flying in the thin air reached my ears followed closely by the impact when it hit the target in the middle.

A wide smile of satisfaction adorned my lips as I realized that I was still good at it. I turned around still smiling at Stefan and found him staring at me, speechless.

"You have reached the center." He informed me visibly still amazed by my success and I just nodded casually.

"I told you I was good."

I had practiced for more than half of the day now. Sometimes Stefan and I would take a break to talk or even just thought.

Besides, Stefan had told me about his famous night meeting with our not-so-innocent professor of history. I had always known that something was weird with this man, but I never thought I was just that.

It turned out that Alaric Saltzman was a vampire hunter. He wanted to avenge his wife kill by Damon or something like that according to Stefan and I could not help but find the idea purely pathetic. It was obvious that Damon had killed far more people than we could really count but chasing him was even more absurd.

However, Stefan made me promise to keep it a secret and that was what I was going to do.

It was nice and at the same time surreal to be able to spend that simple time with Stefan without having to conspire or even talk about my sister.

It was just Stefan and me. In the woods, and my bow.

Honestly, I sincerely thought that I could never touch it again after my father's death, but now that I had to start again, I realized how much I had missed. Even if he was no longer there, I felt like he was enjoying it, and that pulled a little more weight that I had on the chest.

I lowered my bow again after firing as usual in the center and stared at the target before turning to Stefan who was nonchalantly leaning against a tree, his arms crossed against his strong chest.

"You know you could really use that bow to defend yourself Mila." Stefan suddenly appeared behind me with his vampire speed and I jumped with a little feminine scream before turning to Stefan, glaring at him.

"Stefan!" I groaned, hitting his chest playful, feeling his jolts under my hand as he laughed at his own stealth."Or I could get you your dinner." I mocked, feigning a dreamy glance. '' Ah! So much opportunity! ''

Stefan frowned as he brought his hand to his chin, pensively. "Hm. I could take you with me the next time I need to feed myself. "

I was already stunned by the fact that Stefan was talking about eating so easily with me but that was not what left me speechless. I just could not believe that he had suggested that and the more I stared at him open-mouthed and the more I realized my credulity. I raised an eyebrow perfectly shaved expectantly as I waited for his laugh with a slight trouble before rolling my eyes when he began to have difficulty keeping his laugh at a discount.

"Yeah, yeah, very funny, Stefan." I said with my arms crossed over my chest, my lace tone sarcastically. God, he could really have several personalities sometimes. ''You got me. "

I rolled my eyes as I tucked my bow in my bag and soon zipped the closure when Stefan's mocking and enigmatic voice echoed behind me."No, not yet."

He had barely pronounced these words that I felt two arms cold and strong surround me before lifting me off the ground and shoot me in a gust of wind. I immediately closed my eyes, feeling my stomach in my heels and clinging to Stefan as dear to life.

I really hated those trips at the vampire speed.


	15. Chapter 15 : Now I don't Care

**Chapter fifteen : Now I don't care**

After the last few weeks, it seemed like the calm had really returned to Mystic Falls or at least that was what Stefan was trying to make me believe.

I could not help the deep feeling in the pit of my stomach to exist and I just could not forget it. It was as if my whole body was trying to warn me in a sort of sixth sense of self-preservation. Even now when I was standing in the middle of my room, I felt it.

I took a deep breath as I clenched my fists and looked up from the ground before taking a step toward my door. I was always trying to find a distraction to appease this famous feeling but it always came back to the charge, reminding me of my anxiety.  
I climbed down the stairs nonchalantly to the railing and jumped on the last step before walking into the kitchen to find Jenna and Elena having a conversation around Jenna's laptop. Probably, spend an infinite ton of money in the clothes of the future spring collection.

Sometimes, I really felt like I was excluded among the girls in this family. It was just completely above my mind how they could spend so much money in a pair of boots or a dress. Garment was garment and it was enough to have enough piece of cloth to change. I sometimes remembered when my mother always tried to take me to the mall with Elena. They always tried to make me buy a little dress that was too colorful and extravagant for my taste. I never wore a dress, since I was ten years old. It must have been my mom's biggest fight during my teenage years.

As I headed for the fridge, I could catch Jenna's diatribe ending. "... The third is a woman: Trudie, residing in Grove Hill, Virginia."

'' It's really not far from here.'' Elena almost instantly appeared with some sort of hope in her voice and I turned to both with frowns.

'' What are you talking about?" I asked casually, hiding my curiosity.

The two girls jumped up and out of their information bubble to stare at me with wide-eyed eyes as if they did not know I had been here for more than five minutes.

I saw Jenna's hesitant look at my sister but Elena did not tick once before declaring."Jenna helps me get more information about my birth mother."

'' No?Serious?"I exclaimed astonished, widening my eyes before slamming the fridge door into a slam and trampling on the pair with interest." Research Party, I like that. So, what did you find Aunt Jenna? ''

Jenna gauged me before turning her attention back to Elena with pure amazement and slight confusion before frowning and whispering."Sometimes her back speech shocked me again."

Elena gave me a puzzled look at which I just shrugged, uncertain and circled the islet to stand in front of the two girls and take a closer look at what Jenna had found as she passed the computer to Elena.

'' And, now, look. ''

"Isobel." Elena whispered to me as I raised my head in confusion to find her looking at the screen with fascination.

"Uh ... who's Isobel? "I was really hating that feeling of being left out of the loop.

"I flipped through your father's old files and found that name on Elena's certificate of birth. Isobel Petterson." Jenna explained to me leaving me with a feeling of déjà vu.

This name was familiar to me.

I had heard it somewhere, but I did not really have to listen because I did not really remember where it came from.

I frowned, skeptical."I doubt it's her real name."

"Exclude our thought." Jenna agreed with a low nod as Elena kept staring at the screen, rolling my eyes as I stood beside her to see that she was staring at a photo of the old tassel-girl.

I really did not know if it was really her mother but if she was, they were just as stereotyped as each other. I should have known it was something from her birth mother. Jeremy and I were more of a frontrunner while Elena had always wanted to shine at the top of the high school's popularity spiral.

Now it was not a surprise.

"You saw, she was a cheerleader." Elena noticed Jenna's attention and they laughed together as I rolled my eyes incredulously.

"I'm relieved to hear that Jeremy and I are perfectly normal now." I said sarcastically picking a punch from Elena in the shoulder, making my eyes widen in disbelief. "You to hit me.''

"You were insinuating that I wasn't normal." Elena defended herself as I rolled my eyes at her dramatically.

Jenna cleared her throat grabbing our attention and shook our head at our childish interaction."Trudie still lives in Virginia. I noticed you her address. ''

I leaned over Elena to read the address she gave her before turning my attention to Jenna with interest. "Do you know more about this Isobel? ''

"I ... I didn't find anything on her." Jenna answered, her tone uncertain leaving me suspicious as I narrowed my gaze on her.

Elena also seemed to have noticed Jenna's out-of-the-box attitude and was sitting at her side with a perfectly drawn arched eyebrow that made Jenna sigh.

"I didn't tell you everything about Saltzman ... Alaric," Jenna said thoughtfully, making my eyes widen in realization. I knew where I had heard that name and it did not inspire anything good. "His wife was from the area. And she was also called Isobel. "

I could see the amazement on Elena's face and tried in vain to keep my game of surprise. I could not let Elena know I was already aware because otherwise she would like to get answers that I could not give her.

No, without creating more hatred.

"Wait." Elena said, so engrossed in the news that she almost forgot about me."You're talking about her in the past."

Jenna grimaced visibly sorry to announce that to Elena and turned her attention to the brunette. "She's dead."

* * *

After that, I was not really interested in the rest of the conversation. I knew that I had to call Stefan and as quickly as possible before Elena started poking around in affairs that went well beyond words. I managed a quick exit and soon sneaked into my room to send an urgent message to Stefan. I did not know how everything was able to flow afterwards. The minute I had called Stefan to tell him what I had just learned and the second after, Stefan had dragged me with him to the boarding house after having a very dishonest conversation with Elena. She knew something was wrong, but Stefan did not want to reveal anything to her until he had obtained the confirmation of the pathetic excuse that served as his elder brother.

I still could not believe that Damon had killed Elena's biological mother. I began to think that Elena was cursed. Her family tree was obviously chaotic, and I dreaded the next few days, months or even the life in which she was going to dragged us.

True, it was not really her fault.

In fact, none of this was her fault, but I was seriously beginning to have doubts about my safety with my sister. Something was wrong in this whole story about Katherine and if the Salvatore did not seem to think more about it. The last days had left me thinking for myself.

According to Stefan, Katherine had been taken to the tomb back in 1864, they had both seen her and Damon.

But obviously, she was not there and that just did not fit in my opinion. I was still missing far too much to even dodge the person who was or is Katherine Pierce but one thing I was sure of was that she would not bring anything good in our lives.

'' Mila? Mila? You hear me?"Hail Stefan shaking me gently, his hand on my shoulder pulling me out of my stupor. I shook my head with a slight frown."Hey, Mila? Did you hear what I told you? Are you sure you're ok? ''

'' Well yes. Sorry.'' I deepened my frown before recognizing that we were in front of the boarding house and turned my attention to Stefan. '' What did you say? ''

"Damon is unpredictable right now and even if there's this kind of connection between him and you, I'd rather you stay behind me. If something ever happens or becomes dangerous, I want you to run outside as fast as you can."Stefan explained gravely with a slight grin at Damon's and me's involvement and frowned at my rolling eyes. "I'm serious, Mila. Don't make me regret taking you with me."

"I know, alright?" I snapped harder than I thought."If anyone knows Damon's dangerousness, it's me."

I immediately regretted wearing these words as I saw Stefan's worried expression subside into self-pity and guilt giving me that rare urge to slap him.

Sometimes he was just too broody as Damon used to call him and yet I hated being in agreement with the famous vampire. Especially now. Since Damon had returned to the city, I felt like I had abandoned much more of my own morals. I had spent more than I could count and had to act accordingly. I had spent so much time with him that I had almost forgotten the delusional and maniacal person he was.

'' Mila ... ''

"That's good, Stefan!" I cut him gruffly as I opened the door of his SUV to get out in a hurry."Just finish it."

I went down, slamming the door behind me and took a breath of fresh air, bringing the edges of my windbreaker close to me. The icy cold air of winter was felt, and my long curly locks soon flew into the air.

I took a step forward after Stefan and could hear pop music blasting at a high volume from the moment we walked in the doorway.

Stefan gave me a cautious glance over his shoulder before walking towards the living room making me follow him on his heels. I knew I should have been shocked by the show in front of me, but it was so predictable from Damon that it did not even reach me anymore.

Several barely dressed girls and their bent bodies danced around Damon uninhibitedly as he held one of them, her back to his chest exposed by his open black shirt and greedily drinking from her vein. He was visibly drunk and did not even seem to notice us at first until he unfastened his reddened and haunted eyes to finally recognize us.

'' Oh, The killjoy and his sidekick! "Damon groaned, his voice disordered by drunkenness, making the sorority girls laugh like real guinea fowl.

God, they were really a shame for the women.

I crossed my arms nonchalantly on my chest, leaning against one of the exposed beams, and turned to Stefan incredulously. "Did he really compare us to a team of super-hero? Like seriously? Hero? ''

Stefan gave me a disapproving look that did not find amusement in all of this and strode to the stereo and cut it off, annoyed.

Personally, I liked the idea of Stefan and I to be superheroes. I had always had a penchant for the Marvel and I thought I could really make a good superhero, but I was going astray.

"Do you have a minute?" Stefan demanded gruffly as he joined me at my side with his arms crossed over his broad chest.

"Yeah," Damon agreed with no interest, not moving from his place playing with my nerves.

'' Without your puppet, bastard! '' I intervened, straightening up, becoming bored by the vampire's drunken look.

"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of them." Damon objected, nestling his nose again in the hollow of the girl's neck making me tender and murmured mischievously. "They are very good at keep the secrets. ''

The girl in Damon's arms laughed unaware of all the hint that he had put in his sentence and I turned to Stefan becoming really irritated by the vampire's flippancy.

I watched as Stefan broke away from the obviously visibly tired beam of his brother's boring attitude and started walking towards the group to grab Damon by the arm and dragged him a little further away from the drunken group of girls.

Damon dragged his feet behind Stefan, his swinging arm holding a bottle of whiskey started and I was soon to follow the duo with boredom.

'' Oh, you worry about me. How nice. But it's not worth it. I am perfectly fine. Why I wouldn't it? I continued for 145 years. A goal: to enter the tomb. And I reached it. So, Katherine wasn't ready to be rescued, but don't think about it anymore. It's so liberating to no longer have a diabolical plan. Now I can do anything that goes through my head."Damon pitied pitifully with an exasperating drunk smile before taking a long sip at the very bottleneck of the whiskey.

That was the problem.

Damon unpredictable and selfish with a goal was already far too dangerous then without any restrictions and no plan to think? It was just a plague to liberate on the city ensuring its destruction.

I did not realize that Damon was overtaking Stefan to stand by me until I felt the stench of strong alcohol coming out of him.

"That's exactly what scares me." Stefan said, turning quickly to take a step towards me and pull me to his side, making the dark-haired vampire smile even more.

'' Take it easy. I have not killed anyone since ... "Damon trailed, pretending a pensive expression before rolling his eyes, raising his arm holding the bottle of whiskey in the air derisively, letting the liquid hit the glass wall." Zzz ... Too long.''

I could not stop the next words coming out of my mouth as I took a bold step forward. '' And it'll stay that way! ''

I could feel Stefan stiffening on alert at my side as Damon lowered the bottle, he was about to drink to look at me with that famous scary smile.

"And the girls?" Stefan urged to ask for Damon's attention out of me as he gauged them before turning his attention back to the drunken vampire who rolled his eyes.

''Oh, they will end up in their rooms with the migraine believing they have fainted. The usual routine, what?"Damon explained nonchalantly about the whole situation as if it were normal. Well I did not doubt that this had to be the definition of normal for him.

'' Oh, in this case, there is no problem. C'mon Stefan. Everything is fine in the best of all worlds! "I snapped coldly, sarcasm dripping in my tone as I glared at the vampire.

"Ha, Mila! Mila! Mila! "Damon sighed, taking a step toward me as Stefan took a protective step." That pretty little mouth could get you into a lot of trouble. However, I might have some idea of use in mind if you wanted to participate. Although I doubt that you didn't interrupt me to serve your beautiful speeches. Drink a blow and speak little brother! ''

I knew better than to explode on the vampire. Although I was in total boiling mad rage inside, I remained totally stoic and just shot the vampire with all the hate I could get out while Stefan accepted the bottle that Damon handed him.

"This is a woman you would have known a few years ago. Her name was Isobel. It was in Duke, North Carolina. "Slugged Stefan was not so subtle if you wanted my opinion as Damon seemed to catch an air of suspicion.

"You want us to look at the women of my past now." Damon concluded derisively, and I knew right now that he was just trying to drown the fish. "Are you serious there?"

If the few moments that I had spent with Damon could have been useful for something, that would be good for that. He was mostly impossible to understand but I had enough enigmatic argument to know that he was hiding something.

"Did you kill her?" Stefan asked from the outset without twitching and I was dying to hit my head first against a wall at his lack of manipulation as Damon shrank his frozen blue orbs on us in suspicion.

'' What are you getting at?''

"Nowhere." Stefan replied quickly, shrugging his shoulders too quickly."I just wanted to know if you had even a vague memory of her."

"You think I remember all the girls I've puffed in." Damon said, exasperating me again with his flippancy on the situation.

He was just a caricature of himself and I hated it. I knew he was trying to hide the content of his feelings by acting like the world's first dick but I remembered very well the night after the opening of the crypt and no matter how he wanted to make Stefan believe how much he didn't care about anything, I certainly would not believe it.

"You've thought about it. That's important."Stefan urged a real honest answer for once but I already knew it was useless knowing the person that was Damon.

I was staring openly as Damon approached Stefan, careful to snap his shoe against the floor and whisper something in his ear that was out of my reach.

Then, he gave him a light tap on the shoulder with a pretentious smile before turning to me with that exasperating smile.

''It was nice. But here I must go back and use women to forget my grief. Finally, I tell you that. But you know what it is."Damon moved away with attitude towards the sorority group as I took a step aside to stand beside Stefan and look indignantly at Salvatore's receding back."Ah yes, Chao! Chao! As the students would say. Hum! Hum! ''

"You know that all this is an act, right?" I asked annoyed Stefan without leaving the now empty hallway leading to the living room. Stefan just glared at me in agreement. "And you know how he lied to me? ''

At that, Stefan flinched at once, putting his finger on his lips, telling me to shut up, and raised his free hand to his ear to remind me of the vampire's agreement.

I was fully aware of the supernatural hearing of the vampire only I did not have enough care to worry about it.

I did not like this version of Damon and even though he had the ability to type me most of the time on the system, he was much more bearable in a good state of mind or at least, what could be called a good state of mind for the vampire. I felt Stefan catch me quickly by the forearm to shoot me with him upstairs and close the door of his room behind us with a look of reprimand.

"Are you aware that he could have heard you?" Stefan hissed reprimand fully, making me roll my eyes as I drop on the bed with a bounce.

"I know and really don't care." I said casually as I turned my attention to Stefan, who sent me a disapproving glare.

"I'm really starting to think you spent too much time with my brother." He grumbled, taking a seat in his desk chair, raising an eyebrow at me.

"And you say that in a perfectly selfless state of mind." I teased, giving him a slightly amused look."Not because the time I spend with Damon isn't with you."

Stefan frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest."Mila, it's not a game. He's ..."

"He's dangerous, Mila. I say that because every time you're with him, I'm not here to protect you."I interrupted, copying his anxious frown number twenty and imitating his serious intonation to which he gave me a look pressed visibly un-amused before letting a faint smirk adorn his face making me smile in my turn.

* * *

I had been hanging around the boarding house a bit longer with Stefan until I received a cryptic message from Bonnie Bennett herself.

I wondered how she got my number and wondered why she had made contact with me. According to Elena, she had not answered one of her calls or voice messages and she was supposedly still out of town. So that was why I was really confused when she had arranged to meet me at her house and asked me to talk about it to anyone.

I asked Stefan for a ride to take me home and pretend a false meeting with Felix to take my SUV and drive to the house of the witch.  
I was now parked in front of the big two-story house she only shared with her father and realized how much she must be feeling lonely now that her grandmother was dead and well ... Because of Stefan and Damon.

I could not imagine how she could feel sharing. She probably would have wanted to kill Damon more than anything in the world, but her friendship with Elena had to confuse her more than anything else.

Finally, with a deep breath, I finally decided to get out and locked my SUV before climbing the steps to her door. I allowed myself to knock on the cold wood and watched the steps. I had only recently come to the brunette and could not help but find the discomfort in the situation. I did not know why I was here and that was what bothered me the most.

I was so caught up in my observation of the porch that I had not even heard the door open or felt the witch gauge me carefully until she cleared her throat to catch my attention.

I immediately turned around with wide eyes in slight surprise and raised an inquiring eyebrow when I took in Bonnie's position. She was not entirely outside, only her head was sticking out of the door and she seemed to be scanning the surroundings as if she expected something or more likely someone would jump to her throat to kill her. It was obvious that she did not trust me, but what was I doing here?

Bonnie ended up laying her green orbs on me and opened the door in larger before taking a step aside without taking her eyes off me.''Come in! ''

I really did not like the atmosphere that this meeting took. I had the bad impression of finding myself in one of these old mafia films where they organized secret meetings and other plans.

I passed Bonnie and walked into an open living room before looking around me waiting. There was a green brown sofa in front of a large window as well as a coffee table and some bookcase.

I heard the door slam followed closely by Bonnie's calm footsteps telling me that she had joined me, and I turned to look at her expectantly.

From what I could see Bonnie really looked bad. Purplish rings had settled under her beautiful almond eyes, and her usually tanned complexion seemed much paler. She was wearing simple sweatpants and a basic white T-shirt. Her eyes were still red and puffy with all her tears and her lips were chapped.

"So ..." I started hesitantly constant that she was too nervous to start the conversation. I knew knowingly that the famous - _you're fine-_ was proscribed."I thought you were still at your aunt's house."

"I came back this morning." Bonnie explained simply as she passed me to sit on the couch and motion for me to join her. "Do you want something to drink? Water, tea, coffee?''

I could feel Bonnie's nervousness win and nodded stiffly and asked for a cup of coffee. I was really addicted to the little thing that was caffeine, but it always helped me in case of stress and I doubted that the conversation with Bonnie would be easy.

I sat silently on Bonnie's couch as she tucked into the kitchen and could not help but feel discomfort. I looked around swallowing and pulled the edges of my jacket against me. I felt like I was being watched and I did not like it at all. It was like you knew there was someone right in front of you, but you could not see it.

Finally, Bonnie came back with a cup of the sweet elixir that was the coffee in each hand and handed me a cup before sitting next to me.

Still not managing heavy silences, I turned to Bonnie. "Look, Bonnie, I don't really understand what I'm doing here. I mean, I'm all with you on the fact that your grandmother died, and it must be hard but I'm Stefan's friend and if you don't talk to Elena right now, I don't see why you asked me to come here. ''

"Because you're his friend." Bonnie answered confidently visibly not stunned by my rant leaving me more confused."And also, because you were the one who was the most affected by the death of your parents, but you managed to get over it. I need to talk to someone who doesn't hide. "

I looked at the brunette in front of me totally amazed by what she had just said and did not know how to tell her that I had not recovered. If it felt like I was recovered, then I was better at hiding than I thought. Also, I was not the best person to have this kind of conversation. I was not that kind of friend, the one who was there to comfort you. I never found the right words and ended most of the time with a simple hug.

Sometimes it worked and sometimes it failed. I was never sure what I was doing just like right now.

"We never get over, Bonnie. We just learn to move forward with the memory of being with them."I countered with a slight frown on my coffee. I took my eyes off my cup and saw that there were silent tears running down Bonnie's cheeks, and I reacted immediately by putting my hand on her knee."I'd really like to help you Bonnie, but I don't think I'm the right one. Or for anybody for that matters. You should really call Elena. "

I was getting away from Bonnie, getting ready to put my cup on her coffee table to leave but Bonnie's dry and categorical tone stopped me, "I can't call Elena!" I turned my head toward her, uncertain. '' Not now anyway. She's my best friend, but she is also madly in love with Stefan. As for Damon ... I don't know. He's completely sick, and I would like to kill him with my own hands, but I know that it will hurt Stefan and indirectly Elena. I can't ask her to choose. ''

I raised an eyebrow at that, bitter as I suddenly got up on the defensive. '' And that's why I'm here? Because you think I'm going to choose? ''

"No, Mila! Wait!"Bonnie got up quickly, her tone almost beseeching." That wasn't what I wanted to insinuate. I know very well where you are. "

"Fine." I snapped, crossing my arms on my chest in the defense. "Because it's clear. Stefan is my friend and I would always take his side against Elena. As for Damon, he may be the biggest cock ever and I'm sorry for your grandmother, but he also counts for me so if you were hoping to get something from me, you can already forget about it. "

"My grandmother died because of him!" Barked Bonnie, her eyes burning with hate as she clenched her fists in anger.

''And Tanner, Vicki and maybe Caroline if we weren't involved. Just like Elena's biological mother. I know, Bonnie." I replied, lowering my voice in sadness as the brunette's eyes widened in disbelief and shock.

"How can you accept all this?"Sighed Bonnie taking a step forward before frowning." Elena's biological mother? ''

''To answer your first question. I don't do it and then, long story short. Aunt Jenna looking for info on Elena's biological mother. It was discovered that her name was Isobel only, Isobel was the wife of the new history teacher, who is also a vampire hunter in his spare time ... well, it's complicated. The thing to remember is that Damon killed Elena's biological mother and she isn't aware of it yet. "

"Oh my god ..." Bonnie whispered, letting herself fall back onto the couch as I stared at her with an arching eyebrow in expectation. The information flowed in her mind as she stared into space with a painful expression, "I'm the worst friend ever. I avoided Elena while she needed me. "

I rolled my eyes, letting myself fall on the couch next to her. "Your grandmother is dead, Bonnie. You deserved to act selfish. "

The witch turned her face to me, her expression softened by my words as she seemed to gauge me in thought.

"Gram often talked about you." She said nostalgically with a dull expression, surprising me."She used to say that your silence was great proof of wisdom. How open-minded and pure you were. "

"What ... she said that?" I asked, totally taken by surprise as I stared incredulously at her.''Why? ''

I did not talk much to the old woman.

In fact, I had to meet her only once in my short life. It was strange to hear that coming from someone I did not know.

"I don't know." Bonnie replied with a shrug, uncertain."But that's why I called you in reality." I raised an eyebrow in mistrust at that, waiting for her to continue. "Elena told me how you accepted Stefan's nature without even flinching. You only accepted it ... "

"Because he's so much more than a big bad vampire." I cut her rolling my eyes, my lace snicker and I saw Bonnie's eyes darken with judgment at the mention of vampire.

Bonnie took a deep breath, biting at her naturally tinted lip."And you know about my nature."

"I am." I agreed with a nod."Bonnie, where are you going with that? ''

"I ... well ... my grandmother was the only one who helped me through my magic and now ... I'm alone." Bonnie said sadly, her eyes watering with tears.

I was really saddened by her loss but that still did not explain where she was coming from. As far as I know, I was not a witch, I could not do anything for her.

'' You always work in Stefan's plans. Never left his side since he came to town and I thought... well, you could help me practice my magic."

I winced at that. It was not quite true. I had not always been by his side or always endorsed his ideas.

However, I would not be the one to reveal that to Bonnie. She did not need to know.

I frowned, puzzled."How do you want me to help you, Bonnie? The last time I checked, I wasn't a witch. ''

"I know." Bonnie assured with a frown, thoughtfully. "But gram kept saying something about you. Wait, what was it? Um ... it had something to do with our ancestors and their powers."

I made a double-tap at her whispers, staring at her with wide-eyed eyes and brought my hand to her own to try to get her out of her thoughts and that was when something strange happened. I had barely touched her hand that a sort of electric shock came out of her hand to burn my palm.

''Ha! '' I exclaimed, jumping up and down in fear and pain before looking at my palm and staring up at a second-degree burn. '' What's your problem? Why did you do that?''

Bonnie, who had stood up at the same time as me, was holding her hand as if she were in pain as well and looked horrified at me. "Me? It's you who burns me, Mila."

I took my eyes off my palm to gauge Bonnie skeptically. "Me? And how I would do that? ''

"I don't know." Bonnie replied, just as confused and perplexed as I was before she turned her attention to me. "Grandmother used to say we draw our powers from our emotions. What did you think when you tried to touch me? "

I stared incredulously at what she was insinuating by raising my hands in the air. "Whoa! I thought nothing. I'm not a witch. ''

''Again ! Touch me!" Bonnie asked, turning her attention to me, raising my eyebrows incredulously.

"I hope you realize how strange what you've just been asking. Even for me."I stated, raising my suggestive eyebrows with a semblance of a smile on my lips.

"Wha-" Bonnie began with a puzzled frown before resting her eyes on me in realization with a real smile. "Ew! Not like this!''  
I let out a small laugh at her expression appalled and the brunette was not long in joining me, making me smile more.

I never thought that I could laugh with Bonnie Bennett, but I was pretty proud of having managed to change her ideas for a moment.

Soon our laughter was replaced by a comfortable silence and only the ghosts of the smiles on our lips testified to our moment.

"I'm going to help you." I let go without thinking, and I could see Bonnie suddenly raise her head to stare at me in amazement.

"Thank you, Mila." Bonnie came over to me, her arms outstretched as if she were about to embrace me and I could not help but feel a slight apprehension at this hug.

I was tense until I felt her arms snaked around my waist and relaxed slightly when I realized that nothing was happening.

Visibly, Bonnie had noticed the same thing as she stood with a faint frown and looked up at me.

"It may have been nothing." She suggested referring to the incident before making me shrug.

* * *

After a little more discussion with Bonnie, we planned to meet very soon to advance on her gift. I did not really know why I had accepted but I felt as if I owed her for Damon's actions. It was strange.

However, after the conversation I had with the witch, I sincerely thought that it could actually be interesting. Not only for her but for me too.

Now, I was heading to the annual fundraiser under Felix's orders. I really hated these celebrations organized by the city. They were just meaningless and made the city even more boring than it already was.

Sometimes, I sincerely envied the nature of Stefan and Damon. They could leave the city without ever turning around and traveling everywhere without ever having to worry or even ask themselves a simple question that a human would do.

At that, I frowned, realizing my thoughts and thought in the slight surprise. I had never had a goal until now but maybe I had one now.

The idea of traveling had never been something I wanted, but now I was seriously thinking about it. Maybe leaving town after high school would not be such a bad idea.

I was so immersed in my thoughts that I did not even look where I was going and went through the doors of the Grill just to hit a crowd of people hard. I stepped back a few steps under the impact and winced in the slightest pain holding my right arm before looking around me.

It was definitive, I really hated these parties.

The music of the Grill was beating in the background while most people of the city took place at the various free booth and looked forward to the auction. Or more commonly as I called the human market. Although prostitution also worked. I knew maybe it was excessive, but I really did not see the point of launching a kind of baccalaureate lottery to satisfy the housewives of this city.

I was looking around for Felix or even Stefan but only found Elena talking to Caroline and Matt. I shook my head when I saw none other than Mrs. Donovan walking towards the trio and affectionately kissing Elena before Caroline's visibly distressed and jealous eyes. I knew first-hand how this woman could be a bitch and I did not want anyone to meet at the reception of her small comments derogatory.

Finally, I finally spotted Felix serving at the bar and soon made my way through the crowd to sit at the bar and waited for him to spot me.

''Finally! You took some time!" Exclaimed Felix between two services as he seemed to run between customers and I just nodded in recognition and stripped my leather jacket before putting my elbows on the smooth bar.

I swiveled on my stool to get an eye on the scene where all the festivities would take place and could not help but roll my eyes to the line that was clumping at the box office.

"I hate these festivities." I murmured more for myself, but it seemed as if someone had heard me like a low, guttural laugh.

''I'll drink at this.'' My neighbor announced, obviously just as bored by this auction as I was, and I turned to the side to return with a witty return but widened my eyes at the sight of M. Saltzman.

"Mr. Saltzman!" I admitted, clumsily swallowing, feeling suddenly embarrassed.

With the latest events, I still had not attended one of his history classes and I knew full well that it could make me feel like a teenager with a lot of absenteeism.

Fortunately for me, my school record was without stain otherwise the school would have already informed Jenna and I never heard the end of it all.

"Mila!"Recognized the history teacher just as uncomfortable as I was even though I doubted it was for the same reasons." The Grill and the car parks are the only places I can have a glimpse of you. "

"Yeah! Uh ... you're going to tell Jenna, right?" I stammered before sighing in the termination and raising an eyebrow expectantly.

Honestly, I was already wondering why he had not said anything to her yet. They had been seeing each other for a few weeks now and knowing Jenna, I suspected that she had to tell him about all of us, which meant that he had already had several opportunities to report me.

Strangely, Saltzman laughed faintly for not attracting too much attention and I really thought for a moment that he might have had a drink too many but he continued.'' I'm not going tell her, Mila. ''

'' Really?" I said, raising an incredulous eyebrow. "Why? ''

"Probably for the same reason the high school has not called her yet." He replied with a knowing smile before pretending to be serious.

"However, you can be sure I'll give you a essay for catch up as soon as you return to my class.''

''Oh, well, I think maybe I'll wait before going back to your class, then. "I mocked feeling oddly comfortable with the man unlike our first meeting before bringing my hand to my mouth in the realization and look at the teacher with wide eyes. '' I'm sorry. I didn't want … ''

"Don't worry, Mila. Everything is fine." Mr. Saltzman reassured me immediately," Besides, we're not in the high school. "

''Really?"I asked with a faint smile." Does that mean I don't have to call you Mr. Saltzman? ''

"Well, I thought we had already established that the last time we saw each other." The history teacher decreed before handing me his hand as if to shake hands. "Ric.''

I took his grip with my hand with slight hesitation before smiling. '' Mila. ''

There was now a comfortable silence between us as I allowed myself a look at the entire bar before spotting the sign on his suit jacket.

"You're one of the singles?" I exclaimed really surprised that Rick was that kind of person, but I did not mind when I saw his grimace.

''Yeah.'' He said, grabbing his jacket to look at the label derisively.'' Not the most comfortable about it.''

"I can imagine. Who would want to be sold like meat." I agreed with a mocking laugh. " So, who gets you in there? ''

''Ouch! " Ric moaned, pretending to be hurt with a smirk."I was comparing myself to a cruise but your comparison is much more degrading."

"Hum." I huffed with a smirk."Years and years of societal torture help you find the right adjectives."

"I'll take you to the words." Alaric announced before getting up. "Unfortunately, I have to go through that. ''

I followed his fleeing back with an amused smile before looking again for Stefan through the crowd when I felt a new presence by my side followed closely by his mocking, infuriating tone.

"Look, who gets all comfortable with her history teacher."Damon made me wince by his mere presence before grinning again at the obvious smell of alcohol in his breath.

"Damon." I acknowledged, turning to him completely for a good look at the vampire."Still drunk as what I see."

The vampire rolled his eyes, flippantly shrugging his shoulders."It's a given."

I rolled my eyes and sighed and jumped on my feet before taking a step forward to get away from the vampire just to be stopped by him.

"Get out of my way." I said, crossing my arms over my chest already bored with his tricks.

"I could do that." Damon mused, smirking at me, thinking he would do just the opposite and as I had planned, he continued. "Or You could go back and sit down and tell me everything you know about the new teacher. "

I immediately tended to disagree that Damon was starting to ask questions about Alaric and knew instantly that I needed to find Stefan quickly before there was a tragedy. Stefan was right on one point, Damon was unstable, and I did not want to sit idly by and watch him kill his next victim.

"I don't know anything about him, Damon." I declared categorically, sending a glare to the vampire's attention as he rolled his eyes again.

"Sure."He whispered sarcastically."And I'm sure you don't know anything about Stefan asking me such annoying questions about this Isobel."

''The report, Damon?" I said with irritation before giving a condescending tap on his shoulder. "Alcohol makes you visibly confused. I would stop if I were you. "

I passed him, looking for Stefan instantly, but did not even take one more step before I was firmly grabbed by the arm and back to hit Damon's chest.

"Be nice!" Damon pressed between his teeth, his tone much darker but keeping a sly accent and I looked up to cross his bluish orbs before putting both my hands flat on his chest to get some space.

I still was not fond of contacts, let alone those with Damon.

My stupid hormones always came into play and I always ended up feeling much warmer and red than I should. Like right now, by the way.

I swallowed to clear the knot in my throat. "Damon, let me go!"

"Damon!" Came out my rescuer's soft, stern voice, and I glanced over my shoulder at Stefan's eyes, looking at Damon."Let Mila go! Now!''

I felt Damon's grip relax on my arm and soon I could take a step without having to breathe the stench of whiskey mixed with his cologne.

"Relax, little brother. " Damon rolled his eyes before turning his attention to me with that manic smile reminding me every time of his vile nature as I took a step closer to Stefan." I was not going to hurt her. It's _our_ little Mila, after all. "

"I don't belong to anyone!" I sniffed, feeling my blood boiling in my veins."And certainly not yours."

'' Argh!" Damon exclaimed, pretending to be hurt as he dramatically placed a hand on his chest."And me who thought we were friends."

At that, Stefan took a step forward, threatening."Leave Mila out of this, is that clear?"

I was tense watching the two vampires face each other and began to seriously worry about a scene. It really was not the time to enter a showdown especially with two vampires.

Fortunately for us, Mrs. Lockwood chose this moment to make her entrance and hailed Damon in a flirty way, making me want to throw up.

'' Oh, Stefan, Mila, how are you?"She asked, finally untied her eyes from Damon and Stefan took a step back at my side, not without ever taking my eyes off Damon who was clearly taking advantage of the situation.

"Very well, Mrs. Lockwood and you?" Stefan replied, still polite with a simple nod as I kept staring at Damon in apprehension.

I knew he was just injured and that his instability was a result of his misfortune, but I did not like this Damon. After the last few weeks, I sincerely thought that we could get in a kind of friendship, but things were much more complicated with him.

If our uncomfortable was obvious, Carol Lockwood did not pay attention as she glared at Damon before turning her attention to Stefan with that stiff smile. '' You know, Stefan, your brother is giving us a Proud candle by agreeing to participate in the fundraising. In addition, such a beautiful side. Who could resist? "

Oh! Oh! I knew! Me !

Ew! It was just totally and simply disgusting.

Hell, she swelled her ego every time she opened her mouth. And the present pretentious smile on Damon's face did not help to calm my already pissing mood.

I was seriously starting to get agitated by all this and wanted more than anything to get away from the bloody vampire.

''Then tell us Damon, where will you take the happy elected?" Carol asked turning to the vampire, not hiding her desire and I rolled my eyes.

It was more than I could bear.

Damon smiled at us with his signature smile before turning his attention back to Carol."I've planned everything for the date, it'll be a romantic dinner in a secluded, wooded place."

Carol was obviously the only one out of the understanding implied by this date and I could not decently stay here without doing anything. I needed to get some fresh air and maybe even leave the auction. All I wanted was to get away from the sick vampire.

"I'm going to get for Jenna." I suddenly said, calling Carol's confused attention as Damon stared at me, smirking.

I was shaking my head in contempt as I turned around and looked for Jenna or even Elena at this point.

* * *

I was now standing in one of the corners of the bar with my arms crossed over my chest as Carol finished interrogating the third bachelor of the evening and was soon in front of Alaric. I really didn't like how Damon was close to the teacher with that arrogant ass smile. My gaze dragged on the crowd in search of Stefan for comfort and was not surprised to find him alongside Elena.

"Let's move on to the next one." Carol said, catching my interest again. "Single # 4: Alaric Saltzman. Not easy to pronounce." She gave a silly smile to the whole crowd making me roll my eyes." What are you doing Alaric? ''

"You could try to pretend that you're interested." A voice came up beside me and I was still anxious at the altercation and narrowed my eyes at Felix with his smirk.

"Idiot, you scared me." I broke in boredom, slapping him on the arm, rolling my eyes.

"You know what you need?" He asked me to make raise an eyebrow in question, but he answered for himself before giving me a drink full of ocher liquid. '' A good antidepressant. But in the meantime, ... come on, Mila. I managed to sneak in with that for you and Robert will only see fires. Let it go.''

I gave him a long, sharp look from the side that did not really like this idea knowing that if I was caught with alcohol, Felix and I would have a very big problem but he insisted and I took a sip before grimacing, disgusting with the acrid taste of bourbon.

'' Argh!"I coughed my chest with my fist to help pass the alcohol." It's strong. "

"Just the goal, darling!" Felix quipped, giving me a wink before returning to his job leaving me alone again.

With my conversation with Felix, I had been virtually absent from everything that had happened on stage and had trouble understanding until Damon declared the impossible.

''A few years ago, I was in North Carolina. Not far from Duke Campus. Besides, I think Alaric did those studies here."Damon said, turning to Alaric with a smirk." Am I wrong? What I know in any case is that your wife went there. ''

"He didn't do that?" I whispered to myself as I ran my hand over my face before looking for Stefan.

The vampire must have felt my gaze as he began to search the crowd and ended up gathering his green orbs with my cerulean blue. Only he was not the only one who found them as Elena turned to me, even more shocked as she had to gather the pieces together.

Oh ! Oh !

"I had a drink with her once. It was ... A great girl. I never told you. Better than that, she was ... delicious."Damon continued thrusting the knife into the wound and I could see the bubbling anger under Alaric's measuring mask.

I saw Elena running outside the Grill, followed closely by Stefan, forcing me to chase after them, but stopped at the booth when I vaguely heard Mrs. Donovan's and Caroline's vicious conversation.

"All my congratulations, Mrs. Donovan." Caroline said smilingly, handing her ticket sincerely, glaring at Matt's mother.

"As I tell you." From that moment, I knew it was going to be bad."Stop! Stop making so much effort. All this, these things to try to be nice, it sounds wrong. Like you, like your mother. Matt may have been caught. But that doesn't mean you'll get me too. I don't love you, okay?"Mrs. Donovan hissed, making me tighten my hold on the glass that Felix had given me in exasperation before she slipped away." Good, tell the plumber that I'm waiting for him at the bar.''

I looked back at the Grill door to see Elena coming back and catching a quick glance at Damon walking in her direction. I was sure she was going to explode and honestly, I did not really want to be there to attest to all that. I turned to Caroline instead and walked a step forward to stand beside her.

I put the glass of alcohol still full in front of the blonde and gave her a nice smile when she stared at me with wide eyes of incredulity.''Here! You need it more than me. ''

''Mila? What ... where did you get that?" She stammered visibly surprised that I even spoke to her.

"Felix." I replied, shrugging casually. "Drink. You'll feel better. ''

Caroline stared at me skeptically before raising her chin pretentiously and shaking her head ignorantly."I don't see what you're talking about."

"Mrs. Donovan used to call me the monster of the Gilbert family when she was still living here and every time I tried to approach Matt or even Vicki, she kept her children away by telling them not to talk to strange people."I say, making my point clear, surprising myself for telling her." Believe me, dealing with her, that knows me. "

'' Why would you like to be nice to me suddenly? '' Questioned the blonde disconcerted by my action making me roll my eyes.

''Maybe because I think you're much more than you let most of the time show.'' I explained, not bothering to procrastinate on the subject and I could see her jaw drop in surprise and embarrassment making me shake my head. "No matter what you think about Caroline, you are not in constant competition with my sister. Most of the time, you're usually more bearable than she is."

With that, I left Caroline in order to go home and escape Elena's accusations and reproaches but was challenged by my second nightmares in this city.

Damon pulled me with him and I could not find any more interest in doing any fighting at this stage. I was tired of all that and just wanted to go home. Only he had a completely different idea as he paused in his tracks, forcing me to hit his back with a small painful whine before turning to me.

''What is this story? Isobel is Elena's mother?" Damon exploded in a soft glow, though I could easily see the growing frustration and irritation in his eyes, and I rolled my bored eyes. This was not great news for me and as I said, I was tired of this bullshit.

"Oh, congratulations!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands in contempt."You finally know how to put together two and two."

'' What are you talking about? "Barked Damon with a puzzled eyebrow before continuing to frustrate." Elena literally jumped on me, shouting murderer."

I snorted casually, nodding, impressed, "Well, I'm surprised she has not staked you yet, well."

'' What's your problem?"Grumbled Damon narrowing his frozen orbs on me with exasperation and confusion. "I just confirmed that I killed Elena's biological mother."

"Whoa!" I cried ironically, pretending to be shocked. "Damon Salvatore has kill someone. If it's not big news, that's it."I could see the exasperation growing in the vampire and I knew I had to make a quick exit, so I leaned over and looked up to look at him intently. "Be realistic Damon, you care just because it concerns Elena who is by happy chance, the exact replica of your great love. I'm not Elena and I wouldn't be the one who will highlight your misbehavior because I already know what you are. A vampire.''

I was out of breath but did not let my sadness run until I was far from Damon and out of the bar.

I did not really know what had taken me to say that, but I found myself really thinking it. It seemed like I was not resentful when it came to the vampire and I realized now how bad I was. I was not Stefan and I did not have faith in Damon's great redemption. He loved what he was, and he loved killing people even more.

I thought that was what made the difference between him and Stefan for me. If with Stefan, I felt safe and did not constantly think about his nature it was the opposite with Damon.

The fact that I was in constant danger with Damon constantly reminded me of his condition.

I really needed to spend a lot more time with Felix.

My life began to be like hanging out with supernatural creatures and I really needed to spend time with humans for once.

It was as if I were a magnet to supernatural beings.

Bonnie should be Elena, but she was me she had contact. I had met Stefan and Damon first.

In fact, it would not surprise me if Felix was a werewolf or even the ugly bogeyman.

I was driving now towards the house.

I suspected that Stefan had accompanied Elena after the little different and I was seriously starting to think that going home now was probably a bad idea. She had to know that I knew about her biological mother and I was sure I would never hear the end. Looking back, it really did not make me want to go back.

On a whim, I gave a quick drive and headed for the deserted roads leading to the boarding house. I needed to talk to Stefan after all and then, I knew I would be safe from Elena since she would not be returning to the boarding house anytime soon if she ran the risk of meeting Damon.

I parked in the driveway and walked straight into the house without knocking. I was heading into the living room knowing that this was my best bet to find one of the two vampires but stopped me with wide eyes in front of me.

"Oh my god!" I breathed, bringing my hand to my lips and temporarily catching the two vampires' attention away from the body of Alaric Saltzman lying on the floor.

I met Stefan's exhausted gaze before rushing to his side and left my trembling hands hovering over his body before he saw the blood on his chest and sent a deadly glare at Damon. '' What's happening? What did you do?''

'' I didn't do anything. It's him. "Damon defended himself, rolling his eyes, strangely reminding me of a boy caught on the act as he whirled alcohol in his glass with disinterest." He threw himself at me.''

"Damon." Barked Stefan with a cold stare not buying his bullshit making Damon roll his eyes.

"I told him the truth. That's it. "Damon explained, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders as I looked at the professor's body with pity."That his wife didn't want him. I can't help it if he couldn't cash it. ''

I kept my eyes fixed on the body, checking my jaw at that while Stefan broke with hatred on Damon. "And you, you cash Katherine's blow? ''

It was only with two vampires that one could have a talk called fit over a dead body without finding that strange.

I knew it was a low blow, but Damon needed to recover and quickly. Hell, he had already killed two of my history teachers. It was starting to be a model all that.

"I handle perfectly." Damon replied coldly, rolling my eyes in disbelief. "You know what. Isobel came to see me. She found me. If she's related to Elena. She has one with Katherine and maybe Katherine sent her to me. "

He was more and more pathetic. I wondered how a man could be so destroyed by a simple woman.

I mean, maybe I did not understand the purpose of love but his love for Katherine was beyond comprehensible. It was obvious that the woman had cheated on him and probably had to get away with him.

It was a century ago all that.

Time was not supposed to help to forget our fallen loves. It made him totally out of control and he did not even see it.

Even though Katherine had done for him, she could do a lot worse.

"Drop it!" Hissed Stefan really surprised me for the first time as he did not sound like shouting."Stop looking, you're wasting your time."

"It can't be a coincidence if Isobel spoke to me. Impossible!"Though Damon barely paying attention to us as he stood up and gauged Alaric's body with a hint of indifference." I presume you're cleaning up."

I watched Damon's fleeing back in total disbelief, remaining speechless by the way he acted so flippantly before being challenged by Stefan's stifled sigh.

I turned to Stefan and put a hand on his to bring a hint of comfort. '' He's out of his mi-''

I stopped myself in my sentence as I widened my eyes in shock as I watched Alaric's fingers move closely behind his ribcage before he fully recovered, taking a breath that made me jump back.

''Hum! What's happened? "Asked Rick, visibly disturbed by his surroundings, looking all around him before he saw our flabbergasted expressions making him arch an eyebrow, questioning. '' What is it? Where is he?''

'' You were-'' I was still in shock, but it was Stefan who finished for me as I had lost the words to express myself.

"Damon has transformed you." Stefan quickly concluded, finding the only explanation for the teacher's impossible resuscitation.

"Mm ..." Alaric sighs, shaking his head with a frown."No. No. I ... I jumped on him. He stabbed me. "

I frowned as I readjusted on my lap to get a better look at the two men. "It's impossible."

"You probably have vampire blood in your veins." Stefan said, giving me a sideways look, confused. "Someone gave you some."

''No. That's not it.'' Objected Alaric looking sure of himself before taking a pensive expression. '' Mm. It's inevitably something else. "

According to the little experience I had in supernatural matters you could not come back to life without vampire blood. It was already unlikely in this case then another way to resurrect? It was impossible.  
"

What then?" Stefan asked skeptically as he gave me a worried look as Alaric seemed lost in his own thoughts.

Then he suddenly widened his eyes and turned to us in shock."I know ... Isobel."

There was a long silence after that as Stefan and I stared at each other in confusion and misunderstanding as Alaric had gotten that distant look. I knew this famous look; his features had got much sadder by the second and his eyes had taken a kind of emptiness that indicated he was lost in a deep memory.

Probably a memory of his wife.

I caught him unconsciously rubbing a signet ring on his finger and widened his eyes in understanding before looking at Stefan.

It seemed to be the same style that Stefan and Damon wore and if theirs allowed them to walk in the sun, I suspected that Ric's could bring him back to certain death.

"The signet ring has protected me." Rick concluded, joining my thoughts and staring at him, still bewildered even though I had thought of the same thing.

It was simply impossible. I could not believe it was real. Nothing was normal now. The more days went by, the more things went crazy.

"It's impossible." Stefan whispered, as stunned as I was as he gauged Alaric's ring.

"I know." agreed Ric, carelessly stroking the ring that had saved his life.

So that was what my life was going to look like now?

Every day was one more day in the monster and paranormal show. Yeah, it was official.

I was a real magnet for supernatural creatures.


	16. Chapter 16 : Fire in My Bones

**Chapter sixteen : Fire in my Bones**

'' And then your brother decided not to talk to you again, the bargain, '' I exclaimed absently as I suspended my legs in the air, lay on Stefan's bed and looked up to inspect my Vans."That's not what we expected from the beginning? ''

It had been a few days since the famous night we had discovered about Ric's signet ring and his involvement with the supernatural.

Damon had not addressed a single word to Stefan since and seemed to be acting on his own. This was exactly the main subject of our current conversation.

Decidedly, we could not have a simple normal morning without having to worry about Stefan's big brother psycho. Although I must confess, Damon conspiring and acting solitary announced nothing good.

Stefan gave me a sharp look as he buttoned the last buttons of his shirt and I quickly looked away, still feeling embarrassed at the sight of his exposed body.

'' You know, as I do, that this is far from reassuring.'' Stefan assured with a frown, anxious as he folded his sleeves over his powerful forearms.

"I know." I sighed, letting my legs fall to the bed with a bounce and looked at the ceiling of Stefan's room. "For all we know, he might be putting a plan in execution to destroy the entire city."

There was a long silence between us as I was sure that Stefan was watching me with his usual worried frown and I was not slow in hearing his footsteps against the floor before he leaned with his arms crossed on his chest against his shelf, worried eyes riveted on me.

'' I'm sorry. You shouldn't be involved in all this. It's my fault.''Flagged Stefan, taking his usual wrongs instead of accusing the right person, and I rolled my eyes, sighing heavily, and sat up to look at him with a stare.

"Even though I sometimes forget about it, this world comes with you. Just like Damon. It's an all-or-nothing thing.'' I said, jumping on my feet and starting to walk around Stefan's room distractedly before turning to him with a caring smile.'' You're my best friend, Stefan. I accept everything that comes with you if it allows me to get your friendship back. "

There was a long silence following my statement and I slowly looked up to look at Stefan in hesitation and found him staring at me with a beaming smile. He seemed to keep his foamy green orbs on me as if I had just told him the biggest news and I could not help but feel myself blush slightly under his intensity.

I was not aiming for my statement to become something intimate and very personal, but it was the case. I had just formed without thinking what I had in mind for a long time and I did not know what Stefan was going to think about it.

Now that I was thinking, I was seriously starting to grow nervous and did not know if I could hold that look any longer. It was very embarrassing to be laid bare, especially against Stefan.

Finally, I nervously shifted my weight from one foot to the other and cleared my throat by breaking our tacit exchange. "So ... are you really going to keep staring at me without saying anything?"

Stefan surprised me by openly laughing at my face and I crossed my arms over my chest with a scowl that made him automatically stop laughing although he kept that small smile, annoying.

"Making you feel uncomfortable is all too easy, Mila." Stefan laughed, leaving me speechless.

Well, it was vexing!

I stormed out of Stefan's room, grabbing my jacket in a dramatic way and shouting over my shoulder."Very good, Stefan! I withdraw everything I said. It's the end of our friendship! "

I was halfway up the stairs when I felt a gust of wind blowing my hair into my face before I was quickly lifted off the ground and tossed like a sack of potato on Stefan's shoulder who make gasp in disbelief.

''Vampire boy, put me down right this instant ! '' I shouted, scrambling to get out of Stefan's arms, but he closed his hand on the back of my thigh, making me look wide in embarrassment.

I could feel the blood flowing in my veins up to my cheeks and the warmth of my body had warmed up considerably on contact. I became aware of our position and widened all the more my eyes if it was even possible when I realized that I had a direct view on the back deck of Stefan.

God, he was hot!  
I furiously shook my head to sweep that thought out of my mind and started to become really uncomfortable.

Wait, if I had a view of his backside then that meant ... Ew! So awkward !

His broad shoulders were rather bony, and I could feel my lower belly meet it at every step of Stefan.

"Stefan, rest me, right now!" I ordered, becoming more and more annoyed by this as he laughed more. "We are no longer friends, I call you back! Don't force me to do something embarrassing! ''

I could see that we were now in the corridors leading to the exit door and knew that I could simply give up and let myself be transported but I was not yet defeated.

On a whim, I slammed Stefan's ass hard and he stopped instantly while relaxing on the floor.

"Did you just snap my ass?'' He exclaimed with wide eyes, incredulous as I got up dusting dust invisible on my buttocks with a smile victorious.

I looked up, still wearing my smug smile, and crossed Stefan's forest-green orbs."I told you it would be embarrassing."

I shrugged pretentiously and swung my hips as I walked the last steps separating myself from the door before opening it and continuing my way. I pulled my car keys out of the back pocket of my jeans and unlocked the doors when I felt my hair flying again, followed closely by a grip on my hand. I instantly looked at my open palm to frown when I noticed that it was now empty and scowled on my truck to see

Stefan behind the wheel with a smug smile and keys in hand.

'' It's not fair! '' I cried, raising my arms in the unevenness but climbed into the passenger side before closing my door with noisy slam.''Stop smiling. I don't talk to you anymore anyway. "

I nodded sharply, refocusing my gaze on the windshield to prove my point.

Very immature, I knew it, but I did not care at this point.

It was rather amusing to see Stefan's hilarious expression and I had to admit that I was secretly enjoying our childish jokes.

''Well. In that case, I will not talk to you either."Stefan retorted, pretending a very theatrical expression before turning on the ignition and launching my SUV into driving.

I put my eyes on Stefan, beating my spreading smile on my face with difficulty and had everything we needed so we could giggle at the same time. Our laughter was now filling the cockpit and I was sure that if Stefan did not have his good vampire reflexes, we probably would have had an accident for a long time. It was just impossible to stop. I was holding my stomach in pain so much I was laughing, and

I felt my abs shrink every time I laughed.

''Okay! Okay! St-stop! A-ah-ah! Okay!" I laughed in between trying to stop before finally taking a deep breath and keeping my smile looking at Stefan who had also stopped laughing.

I dropped back into my seat, placing my head on the chassis and turned my face to the side to observe Stefan's now bright profile. There was no doubt that he was handsome, but he was better when he smiled. It was something that I took as a victory every time I was the reason for a smile on his face.

A new, wider smile adorned his lips."This look could really be a harassing act."

'' Oh my god.'' I was feeling a bit stupefied.'' Stefan Salvatore, have you just made a joke?''

"Hey, I can make jokes." Stefan defended himself with a slight frown."I'm very funny, by the way."

"Huh!" I mumbled a buzzer rolling my eyes and looked at Stefan with a smirk, mischievous smile. "Damon makes the comments funny. You are good at reassuring and being serious. I guess you can't have everything."I continued with a nonchalant shrug before turning with a wink." But don't worry, I can be funny for both of us. ''

Stefan sent me a faint flush probably at the introduction of Damon before rolling his eyes to my own praise and shook his head.

Finally, Stefan finally pulled into the school car park and shut down the engine. I saw Elena in the distance and could already see the surprise on her face when she spotted Stefan behind the wheel. It was obvious that she was still struggling to take into account that I was a close friend of her current boyfriend and was trying in vain to hide her blatant jealousy.

After all, she had always been the prodigal and even though now I understood better why my parents had given her so much attention, I could not help thinking that it had made her a little girl capricious who always wants to be the center of attention.

I was about to go down when I felt Stefan's hand grasp gently on my arm, preventing me from going out. I looked at him questioningly over my shoulder and smiled in spite of myself.

"Your friendship is as important to me as it is to you, Mila."He said sincerely, making me smile more.

Those simple words were enough to flatten me a big, silly smile on my face and I knew I was probably going to wear it all day long.

I got off the SUV at the same time as Stefan and gave him a wave as I walked away to leave him with Elena. We did not really talk about the fact that I knew beforehand what Damon had done to her birth mother and I did not really want to.

We knew now that he had turned her into a vampire under her request and had everything you needed to know. Honestly, I was more worried about Alaric than I cared about Elena. It must have been terrible to be abandoned by his wife because she preferred to be a vampire. I could easily understand that the benefits of being a vampire were tempting, but the thirst for blood was simply prohibitive for me.

The rest of the day was blurred. It was strange to think that I had not thought about the supernatural for a whole day.

Although this was particularly nice. I had even had my first class with Alaric even though it was pretty clumsy since he was in the secret.

* * *

Now I was on my way home and was hoping I could get some free time for myself as I was supposed to meet Bonnie later to help her practice. Our appointments were more frequent now and I still had not told Elena she was back. It was one of our first rules. People doesn't know we were meeting, and it was rather exciting to act in the shadows.

I knew that Bonnie found me simply mad, even suicidal to love being in touch with supernatural beings, but I did not care. They were all normal to me and did not judge them more than a human being.

So I parked now in our driveway and shut off the engine before quickly making an exit to climb the steps of the steps and enter the welcoming warmth of the house. I was getting rid of my jacket looking in the living room before looking upstairs.

''Jenna? Jer?'' I called to find out if there was anyone at home but was once again greeted by silence.

I looked at my watch with a slight frown.

It was a little over four, Jeremy had to be back since he had a class less than me since he was in the grade below.

I took my jacket in my hand and climbed the stairs stopping in front of Jeremy's room simply to sigh of boredom when I saw that he was in front of his computer and seemed totally absorbed by the screen.

I rolled my eyes as I entered his room, grimacing slightly at the mess, and then stood behind him with a mischievous smile."You know you should be careful when you leave the door open, you don't know who might surprise you! "I breathed in his neck in a dark way before sneering, hilarious when he jumped with a little leap in his chair.

"Jesus, Mila! You scared me." He shouted, scowling when he saw my smile and I could now understand Stefan and Damon. It was fun to surprise people and see their expressions horrified.

''Not my fault.'' I shrugged, with a smirk. '' You were so engrossed in your computer that I had to do it or else, I was afraid you'd become one of these zombies lobotomized by these computer programs.''

''Ha! Ha! Very funny, Mila.'' Replied Jeremy sarcastically before rolling his eyes and grumbling under his breath as he turned his attention to his computer. '' Finally, I might prefer when you don't speak. ''

I did not pick up his little spade instead, I hovered over his shoulder and looked at what had captivated him so much. '' So, what are you-'' I was staring at the forum he was chatting and stopped me in my sentence by looking anxiously at Jeremy before swallowing."Vampire? ''

It was bad. Very, very bad if Jeremy started asking questions on the subject. How could he even ask questions on the subject?

Normally, Damon had forced him to forget everything that happened, so he should not be able to question their lives.

'' You don't really think they exist, huh, Jer?" I kept my voice as calm as possible even though I was totally panicked inside, and Jeremy turned to me with an inquisitive eyebrow.

''Why? Don't you believe it?'' He asked, seeming really interested in my answer and I thought for a moment that he knew everything. He knew about it and he was just playing with me to take his revenge.

I swallowed, taking a step back, and rolled my eyes anxiously before answering nervously."What? Pff! Frankly, Jeremy ... Vampire? Whatever.''

"So you don't believe it?'' Jeremy insisted with a raised eyebrow, questioning.

"Jer, you're starting to scare me." I declared with a choppy laugh even though it was true. He was seriously starting to worry me about his questions and I did not want anything to happen to him because of that.

"Mila, what are you hiding from me?" Jeremy accused immediately with a sharp glance making me frown in worry.

''Me? Nothing! "I was quick to answer under pressure and Jer raised an eyebrow, sending a glare, incredulously." I assure you, Jer. I don't hide anything from you. ''

 _ **Jeremy POV**_

Jeremy could see that Mila was lying to him. Her voice was part of the treble which was always a sign that she was lying but she seemed visibly very nervous about it.

He had seen her reaction when she had read the screen and he could not help thinking that she was hiding something from him. Whether it was about vampires or anything else, he did not know. But he was sure of one thing and his twin was lying to him.

Now he was sure she was not lying to him. If Mila kept a secret of himself was because it involved several people and he had his idea that it also concerned Elena.

Their older sisters had always managed to put enough pressure on his twin to make her lie to him. Mila and he were just starting to get what they had before their parents died and he knew she would not keep a secret from him if it could damage their relationship.

In any case, not on her own. She was his double after all and he knew her better than anyone.

 _ **Mila POV**_

I looked at Jeremy and knew that I had to make a quick exit before he could get me stuck. I could see the suspicion growing on his face and I really hated lying to him but that was for the best. I could not involve him in all this. He was far too precious.

"Hey ... uh ... I totally forgot that I had to meet Felix at ... uh ... at the Grill. Yeah, at the Grill, so ... ''

"Mila." Jeremy cut me off with a look of disapproval as I was already making some steps for the exit, but I gave him a simple apologetic look before going to his room door.

'' I'll go. Later, double. ''

I was running almost the rest of the stairs pulling my jacket in a hurry and grabbing my keys in the bowl before slamming the door behind me and running to my SUV and out of the driveway.

Even after I had left my street, I was still playing nervously with my fingers on the wheel and could not stop that feeling of anxiety and guilt churning in my stomach. I felt really terrible for keeping secrets from Jeremy but it was the best I could do for him.

I sent a quick text to Bonnie, telling her that I would be early and explain to her later why before getting into her street.

The brunette lived only a few blocks of our home and I parked in front of her house before going out by locking my doors. I climbed the steps of her stoop before hitting on her door three times and wait, chewing nervously on my thumb.

All these lies would be the death of me if they continued to grow. The longer the days went by, the more I felt I had more secrets.

My life had become a pale copy of the truth. And the worst part of all this was that I was lying to the faces of my loved ones. The only person in my family who knew about it was also the one I was least familiar with. I knew that if I had the choice to lie between Elena and Jeremy, the result would have been different.

The opening of Bonnie's door made me jump and I looked at the witch with wide eyes holding my chest in a vain attempt to calm me down.

'' Mila? What's wrong?"Bonnie worried at the sight of my expression before hastily beseeching me in her house.

I unrolled my scarf before removing my jacket and put them on the armrest of Bonnie's sofa before letting myself fall back on the leather sofa with a deep sigh.

"Mila, what happened?'' Bonnie asked becoming more worried by the minute and I turned to the side to watch her place several candles on the floor, making me arch an eyebrow.  
''Nothing I can't adjust.'' I answered before resuming quickly, more interested in what she was doing. '' What's all this? ''

"I passed through the grimoire Gram gave me. There are several spells that I would like to try that come out causing an aneurysm. What's clear could be very helpful in dealing with someone who can heal forever."Rambled Bonnie as she set up her equipment not even paying attention to her surroundings or even what she was saying and I raised an eyebrow in response easily understanding the implication.

I ran down the floor to get to her side and put my hands on her to stop her from stimulating.

"You mean it will be very useful on vampires."

I felt Bonnie stiff out under my hands as she glanced sideways, hesitantly, probably expecting me to disapprove of her project, but I was just staring at her in understanding. I knew how she felt.

When my parents were dead, I needed a scapegoat but unfortunately could not find anything to pass this pain except the silence. Bonnie had the vampires to blame for what had happened to her grandmother and who I was to remove that from her.

"I will not stop you from learning to protect yourself from vampires." I reassured her, understanding but narrowing my eyes to her before adding, serious. 'But if you ever think of going after Stefan, you'll have to deal with me, understand?''

Bonnie stared at me, wide-eyed visibly surprised by my threat before swallowing and raising an eyebrow with confidence, copying my grave tone."I wouldn't go after Stefan as long as he doesn't attack humans. But if that happens then our agreement is extinguished. As for Damon, I would use it on him as much as I want, it's clear? ''

I could not say I was fully satisfied with the deal, but I knew that all I could get from Bonnie was.

Then, after all, Damon was a dick, he deserved to receive some of his own medicine.

I took one of my hands from Bonnie's and handed it in agreement. The brunette gauged my outstretched hand before accepting it with a proud smile making me shake my head before looking a little closer at this spell book.

Most were written in another language. Latin, it seemed to me. I had not done Latin since I was in middle school, but if my translation was good, it needed a lot of power and if I believed Bonnie, she drew her powers from her emotions.

Only her emotions were not her best allies at the moment. She could not do this spell without training on others before.

"I don't know if my Latin is as good as before, but I think you should try something that requires a bit less power before you get into it."I suggested it as more an affirmation in my opinion.

Bonnie narrows her eyes to Mila with boredom, picking up the grimoire, "I know I can do it."

"I don't doubt your determination, Bonnie." I said, trying to make sense in her stubborn mind."I'm sure your emotion is the strongest but-"

"So you know I don't need your advice." She interrupted me feeding with her spirit of revenge and I raised an eyebrow, incredulously trying to stay as calm as possible.

"I think if, on the contrary." I said, returning a burst of Bonnie."You have to do it for the right reasons, Bonnie."

There was a long silence between us as Bonnie seemed to be meditating on my words as I turned a little more of the grimoire page in search of a more appropriate spell.

I sat up giving her a friendly look and handed her the open page."I'm going to make coffee. Maybe you should work on that fire spell. ''

I was making my way to the kitchen, giving one last worried look at the witch over my shoulder before crossing the threshold. I was looking for a little more in the kitchen until I found what I was looking for and made a pot of coffee.

I took two cups from one of the cupboards and poured out the sweet elixir that was the coffee and took the cups before making our way back to the living room.

Bonnie's father was virtually never home and although Bonnie was currently in mourning, he did not want to lose the validity of his two plane tickets for a business trip.

Honestly, I was really surprised how Bonnie was alone. Her mother had left her with her father when she was still a child and her father was almost never at home. It was no wonder she was taking the death of her grandmother as hard. She probably was feeling lonelier than ever now.

I put the cups on the coffee table and allowed myself a look at the witch. She seemed in full concentration as she whispered, keeping her eyes glued to the candles in front of her and I could see her eyebrows frown as she was all her concentration to profit.

Suddenly, the candles were lighting herself and Bonnie took a slight step back before letting a wide satisfied smile adorned her lips and look at me with pride. I made the effort to cheer her up with a matching smile and gave her a nod with a wink.

''Congratulation, Miss. Bennett. You're a real bomb incendiary."I teased, giving her another teasing wink, and Bonnie grabbed one of the cushions before throwing it to me," Hey! "

I was going to catch up on the cushion to send it back but my phone ringing made me frown before I picked up my phone into my jeans pocket and raised a finger to Bonnie's attention to tell her to wait.

''Hello?'' I answered, the phone in my ear.

"Hey, bitch!" Greeted Felix's familiar voice, immediately relaxing me."What are you doing now?"

"Uh ..." I gave a look at Bonnie, who gauged me apprehensively and mimicked Felix's name before walking outside the living room."Nothing special, why?"

There was a pause through the phone as the music from the Grill could be heard before Felix's breath was heard again. '' Because I think you should come. And quick.''

''Why? What's going on, Felix?'' I asked, suddenly worried as I was already making my way into Bonnie's living room and tucked my phone between my shoulder and my ear to put on my jacket and scarf in a hurry.

I grabbed Bonnie's worried look as she stared at me expectantly, but I was too focused on Felix to worry.

"It's nothing very serious. It's just that your aunt has probably drunk too much since she keeps calling me my little bunny every time, I give her a drink.'' Declared Felix, the boredom and sarcasm evident in his tone and I could not help but let out a small laugh at the mental image before shaking my head in disbelief.

"Ok, Felix. I'm coming."I informed him with a smile on my lips before hanging up and pulling my hair out of my jacket as I watched Bonnie." I must get Jenna at the Grill. Apparently, she got drunk and became familiar with Felix. "

Bonnie got up with a smile to guide me to the door and I could see she wanted to say something but did not seem to find the words to express herself. It did not look like her. If there was one thing, I had begun to appreciate about the witch Bennett, it was her frankness and strength.

Now, at that moment, she did not seem as usual.

"Mila ..." She began before cutting herself hesitantly. She was obviously trying to tell me something but seemed to be holding back. If it had been with Stefan, I would have lost my patience, but I knew I had to let her talk or at least wait.'' You know what happened earlier ... I mean when we talked about spell ... Mm ... I'm sorry. ''

I raised my eyebrows in understanding and raised my hand to sweep her apology with a friendly smile."That's good, Bonnie."

I leaned over the witch and gave her a kiss on the cheek before making my way outside and gave her a wave as I rejoined my SUV and opened my door before getting inside.

I drove straight to the Grill and ignored Felix's many calls and messages knowing that he was probably exaggerating the situation. I parked in the nearest location when I caught glimpses of Jenna chatting with an unknown man. I narrowed my eyes on the back of the stranger as he brought his hand on Jenna's cheek and blocked me from seeing her. I did not know this man but from what I could see he did not inspire me anything positive.

I rushed out of my truck and kept my door open as I honked loudly to get Jenna's attention on me, raising my hand to wave to her.

It seemed as if the stranger broke away from Jenna to look at me visibly annoyed by my interruption but that was the last of my worries.

Aunt Jenna walked over to me, giving me the big eyes that I was coming at the right time and made me laugh lightly under my sighed. I climbed behind the wheel while Jenna climbed into the passenger seat with a grateful smile.

"You couldn't arrive at the best time. How did you know I was there?'' Jenna heckled miserably, trying to look sober and reasonable as I walked down the road to the house with a smirk.

"Felix." I replied with a knowing smile as I grinned."I think you've traumatized him for life."

She rolled her eyes before grimacing, her forehead in pain. "Hm! I believe that alcohol and I are no longer made to be friends. "  
I could not stop laughing from leaving my lips at that. I knew that Aunt Jenna had given up her life as a young adult to raise us and I had to admit that I sometimes missed Jenna.

"So who was this guy?"I was trying to look selfless even though this stranger intrigued me more than I wanted to admit.

It did not inspire confidence and it was not just because we were a small town but because every time there was a newcomer to Mystic Falls who was hanging out around my family, he had the wrong mania to be a supernatural creature.

In fact, after long thought the whole family Gilbert was a magnet to the supernatural.

"A guy," Jenna answered, obviously interested by herself, as she raised her disdainful hand with a chuckle."He needed to get a new flirtiest line, fine."

'' Ouch! Tough girl."I grimaced, amused and Jenna punched me in the arm, playful, making me wide my eyed, incredulous" You just hit me. You… you hit me! You!"

"Mm ... mm!" Jenna sighed contentedly too drunk to hold a real conversation and I shook my head as I turned my attention to the road.  
I had driven to the house, and now I turned off the engine before turning to Jenna with a smile at her painful expression. '' Sober?''  
"Mm!" Jenna groaned, holding her skull."Ask me tomorrow."

I shook my head, hilarious as she got off my truck and watched her climb the steps with difficulty before entering the house safely. I retrieved my belongings from the back seat and went downstairs before locking my truck and making my way into the house.

Jenna was visibly upstairs, but I could still hear movement in the kitchen. I put my keys in the bowl for that and made my way into the kitchen just to find Jeremy looking confused and lost as he was looking for something around the kitchen before, he jumped when he turned around and contacted me.

'' Mila?'' He asked with a frown, confused and slightly bored.

"Yes, Mila. Your twin."I replied sarcastically, rolling my eyes and giving a little sneer." Did you expect someone else or what? ''

At that, I frowned in suspicion as Jeremy seemed to squirm in agitation under my question.

''What? No, nobody."Jeremy retorted in a hurry making me more suspicious before pretending to look cool." Anyway, how was it with Felix? ''

"Felix? "I asked, raising a confused eyebrow, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Yes, Felix." Jer continued with a sharp look."You told me you had a date with him at the Grill."

I widened my eyes in the realization, spitting slightly into the bottle of water that I had just taken and coughed by hitting my hand on the chest to get the cough. '' Oh! Felix! Yes, yes, it was good. ''

An awkward silence settled on us at our successive lies and I closed the bottle of water by swallowing nervously. It was obvious that we were hiding things from each other but none of us called the other in the accusation.

Finally, I could not stand this tense silence and called a good night before sneaking away from my room.

I closed my door behind me and casually dropped my jacket on my bed before taking off my sneakers and taking off my T-shirt to throw it on the floor. I continued to undress before finding myself in my underwear and walked to Elena's room to close the open access to our bathroom before closing my own access and turned on the shower. I unzipped my bra, sighing that I felt free of all ties before jumping under the hot water once I was out of clothes.

I took advantage of the feeling of warmth on my skin, gently rubbing the water on my arms and flat stomach before grabbing my shampoo and applying a generous nut in my palm before massaging my scalp in a soothing gesture. I could feel my body relaxing with the sweet smell of almonds.

Once I finished with my hair and my body, I turned off the water jet and opened the glass door to grab a fluffy towel from the towel rail before wrapping it around me and shaking my hair wet on my back.

I went back to my room and searched among my drawers for sweat pants and a simple long-sleeved top. I changed quickly and jumped on my desk before starting to braid my hair in an Indian mat.

Strangely, today had been quiet and although I could easily get used to this life devoid of all danger, I knew it was only a kind of calm before the storm. Everything would soon get worse and for a long time. I did not know why I was convinced of it, but it was a feeling I could not get rid of.

I made my way to my bed and removed my blankets before hiding under his last. I knew the worst was yet to come but for now, I was going to enjoy this calm and get a good night's sleep.


	17. Chapter 17 : I'm a beast

**Chapter Seventeen : I'm a beast**

Hum! I love storms.

It was the perfect sign of a good and big day cloistered at home and in the safety and comfort of my quilts.

Unlike most people, I would love to hear the roar of thunder and watch the flash lights illuminate the sky temporarily. It was just what I liked. And what I liked most was being able to lie in my bed without having to feel guilty for missing a beautiful sunny day.

In other words, it was the perfect day. I readjusted under my covers with a smile on my face and sighed contentedly when my door was opened with a loud crash, making me moan in anticipation.

"Come on, Mila, wake up!"Ordered Elena walking straight for my curtains and pulled them open, instantly burning my eyes at the sudden light.

"Argh!" I moaned in a grunt and grabbed my pillow to protect myself from the light before shouting."Go get lost, Elena."

"Mila!" Elena sighed, bored and I could feel her eyes piercing holes in my back but that was the least of my worries.

I had plans and no matter why she wanted me to get up, I knew I was not going to like it.

"All right, you'll want it. "

I did not even have time to answer as I felt my covers being removed from me, immediately sending chills down my body and soon my legs were pulled out of my bed.

"What-" I exclaimed as I finally opened my eyes and saw with increasing annoyance that I was on the floor of my room. I looked up exasperatedly at Elena and coughed at my jaw."What's your problem? ''

"Dress up quickly!" She ordered without even bothering to answer me and was already making her way outside my room, letting me fumble with my lost sleep.

I blew a lock of hair out of my face and crossed my arms over my chest with a scowl. It was deciding, I was going to be in a bad mood today.

I got up, pushing my covers with annoyance knowing that now, I could not enjoy and gauged my bed with envy. I sighed again for the tenth time this morning and went down the stairs now dressed in a navy blue short-sleeved t-shirt as well as skinny black jeans with a knee-length hole and a black short vest. I had left my hair naturally wavy behind my back.

I was now making my way into the kitchen to meet Elena already waiting with her keys and coat in hand.

Well, shit, she was going to wait a long time. It was out of the question for me to leave this house without having a breakfast.

I took a bowl of the cupboard before looking for chocolate chip and milk. I could hear Elena's loud, angry sigh as she rested her things and sat on one of the stools as I began to prepare my breakfast as slowly as possible.

"Seriously, Mila? "Elena growled, exasperating and I turned around with my bowl in my hand and a dark smile.

I was in a bad mood and I really did not want to take her bullshit in the morning. I settled on the island and started eating while Elena kept stroking her phone, driving me crazy by the way.

The sound of the keys was like little jackhammer in my skull and I wanted more than anything to tear her phone from her hands and throw it into the nearest wall.

I was trying to distract myself by analyzing the taste that the cereal petals had on my tongue and tilting my head to the side giving them a satisfactory six.

I could see the irritation grow in Elena as she swapped her phone to strum her nails on the island and I let go of my spoon to hit her hand flat with boredom.

''Stop that! Right now!"I whistled between my teeth as Elena jumped slightly at my sudden contact and stared at me with wide eyes before narrowing her eyes at me.

''Hurry up, then.'' Elena glared at me, impatient. '' Stefan's waiting for us. ''

I was double-taking that, almost choking on a grain. '' Whoa! Whoa! Stefan?" Elena raised an eyebrow, puzzled before nodding, uncertain."Why didn't you say that earlier?"

I instantly came down from my seat and emptied the rest of my bowl into the sink before I walked actively to the front door to put on my trusty black and white converse and put on my hooded denim jacket while Elena was still sitting in front of the island completely bewildered by my precipitation.

"Well, are you coming or what?" I cried, opening the door already impatiently.

* * *

The drive with Elena was probably the quietest ride I had shared. We did not say one word to another and it reminded me of the previous few months. I had to admit that I had missed it. Do not have to feel the need to speak or even make a semblance of conversation to make her comfortable.

Finally, Elena parked in front of the boarding house and I was not waiting for her to unbuckle my belt and get out of the car and run to avoid getting wet. I could hear her tracks following me as I headed straight for the parlor room before stopping in my tracks with a raised eyebrow when I saw the gaping hole in one of the windows. I turned around with a light smile knowing full well that Stefan was behind me.

'' Do I even want to know? "I asked, pointing the broken window over my shoulder with my thumb.

Stefan seemed to hesitate as he gauged me before looking at Elena who had joined us and I rolled my eyes at their sickly sick look as I made my way to the couch.

"So ... what's going on? Elena told me you wanted to talk to us."I asked, turning my attention to Stefan instead of Elena.

"Actually," Intervened Damon, carrying a wooden board with him, catching a glare of Elena's appearance as I rolled my eyes."I'm the one who asked him to call you. ''

Perfect! Just perfect! This seemingly peaceful day had now turned into nightmares in a matter of seconds.

I could not believe what I had just heard.

The vampires of the tombs were free and ran in Mystic Falls. Bonnie was not going to like that.

Oh! No! She was even going to a crisis.

It meant that her grandmother had died for nothing.

I knew that I would be the first to face her anger on receiving the news and even if I did not fear the witch. I could dread her anger.

Honestly, I could not find the words like Elena, Damon and Stefan continued to converse on the subject.

It was not what I had in mind when I woke up this morning. I had always had this bad feeling, but I never thought that it would come to fruition. I really hated what I was feeling right now.

''I suggest we come home. That we screw up their door and slaughter the other idiot who attacked us last night."Damon suggested, annoyed as he plugged the hole with the board he was carrying in response to the attack and I could not help but roll my eyes while Stefan and Elena shot him clearly not in the mood for those stupid little shots.

"And after, what do we do?" Asked Stefan, annoyed."We turn to the other vampires in the house and we throw them-"

Damon turned, shrugging nonchalantly with a smirk. "Oops! Sorry! ''

I could not help but let a little smile grow on my face to that one.

I had to admit that the mental picture could be rather funny when we thought about it. I felt eyes on me and looked up to meet Elena's disapproving gaze as Damon smiled blissfully.

"I can't believe you made a deal with her." Elena said, dismissing her disapproving attention to Damon, who rolled his eyes at her as he approached her.

''Rather than a market, I'll call it a courteous exchange of information. '' Nuance the vampire with a casual grimace. '' And it's not like I had a choice. She's ... scary."He added, feigning a creepy shiver." Besides that, she's going to help me get Katherine back. "

At that, I could not contain my incredulous laughter, drawing all the attention to me making me realize he was serious.

 _Katherine!_

Everything always seemed to come back to this bitchy manipulator. I could not believe that Damon was still on her after what had happened. He became more and more pathetic and miserable each time.

I jumped up and stood in front of Damon incredulously. "Katherine? There even Katherine who manipulated you back in eighteen? The same Katherine who turned you into a vampire and feigned her own imprisonment in the tomb to let you look after her for a hundred and forty-five years and finally realize that she had deceived you again? That same Katherine?''

I did not even notice that my tone had increased so much during my shine that I almost shouted at the end and Stefan had to hold me back for safety.

He was obviously concerned about the impact my words would have on Damon, and now that I was trying to calm myself down by looking at the dark-haired vampire, I could see the deadly look he was giving me.

'' Of course it's her! '' Barked Elena resumed in response to my seemingly vindictive brilliance for what Damon had done to her biological mother.'' As always Damon gets what he wants, no matter to make victims in his path. "

Damon seemed to calm down as he rolled his eyes at Elena's shine and turned to her."Oh! It's not true. You can stop moaning."He turned to me with a dark look." Both of you. "

'' When I woke up this morning. I learned that all the vampires had escaped from the grave."I was double-taking that, feeling anger flowing as Elena fumbled at Damon." I think I won the right to moan.''

"You've been aware since this morning and you didn't tell me anything? " I pushing Stefan's hold on me to face Elena in disbelief and exasperation as Damon sat peacefully on the couch with a smug smile taking full advantage of our quarrel.

Elena scarcely looked at me as she retorted, keeping her gaze fixed on Damon, "Well, you don't tell me everything then."

I was speechless at that.

Well, this one, I did not see it coming.

Of course, I knew she was going to charge me for keeping the information about her biological mother, but that did not make her jab better.

If she knew what I was doing with Bonnie, she would have died of jealousy and probably crazy that her best friend would rather spend time with me than with her.

Especially since I was hanging around vampires just like her.

Although I could easily discern the difference between her and me. She did not know how to balance things out and did not want to choose but always ended up saying her love for Stefan. Of course, the vampire was my friend but strangely, Bonnie was also, and I grew up very protective of the latter.

With a secret smile, I could not help but reply in a whisper. "Oh, that's for sure. You have no idea. ''

Only, I had badly measured the distance which separated me from Elena but also the supernatural hearing of the vampires who gauged me now with an eyebrow raised in curiosity and interrogation.

I clumsily cleared my throat looking anywhere except the three people around me and nodded, embarrassed.

"Hum!" Damon sighed refocusing attention on him rather than me and I had to admit that I owed him that, though Stefan kept a suspicious eye on me. I knew I was never going to get out of this. "How long are you going to blame me for turning your birth mother into a vampire?"

I shook my head incredulously, knowing that Elena would not forgive him for a moment and leaned on my arms on the nearest wall watching the exchange with little interest.

''Oh, but I don't blame you, Damon."Elena replied bitterly, raising an eyebrow, puzzled before rolling her eyes dramatically." I accepted the fact that you were a selfish psychopath who had no qualities that could redeem him.''

Obviously, she was still looking for Damon's redemption qualities. They were all looking for that at home instead of trying to accept him as he was.

I was aware of the monster he could be, but there was something else in the vampire. I did not think he needed to be bought back.

He just needed to be chosen for once.

Unfortunately, I knew that I could never give it to him and Elena was again not willing to give it to him either. It was true that it had always been easier to go for Stefan. It was enough to look at him to know that one wanted to be friends with him, but Damon was different. You had to recognize and know what you were holding when you were with him. He was dangerous, and he was a vampire.

Damon. Damon was the difficulty.

"Here I am ..." Damon dramatically brought his hand to his chest, obviously trying to hide Elena's words from him more than he wanted to admit, and once again put on his smirk."Break!'

Stefan took a step forward to stop the argument. "This discussion is not very productive. We'll take care of Pearl and other vampires. Okay.''

I watched as Damon got up and left the living room visibly annoyed by all this exchange and I turned my attention to Stefan to find Elena making her way to him with her puppy look sick of love.

"Ah!" Elena sighed heavily."Excuse me! As soon as I see him, I'm in a dog mood. "

I rolled my eyes openly, bored before grimacing when Stefan took her in his arms, obviously forgetting that I was still in the room.

Do not be fooled, I loved Stefan deeply but I hated him when he got every puppy hitting with love.

It made him like a marshmallow and I could not bear to look at him like that. Especially since he cuddled my older sister. It was just ... Ew!

"Ok ... uh ... I'll go. Yeah, just go."I paused, clumsily pointing down the halls to make an exit.  
I did not wait to hear their answers to go out and started walking towards the kitchen.

Since Elena was my ride, I could not go home without her, so I was going to have to hang around here before she finally decided to go home.

And maybe, I said well maybe, I could finally enjoy my day to bask.

I walked straight to the cupboard above the kitchen island and took a cup before serving the sweet bitter elixir that was coffee. I was just addicted to caffeine and it seemed that with the arrival of the Salvatore brothers in town, I became even more addicted. It was all those situations that made me so nervous and the coffee was just the medicine I needed.

"So you're the one stealing all the coffee." A suave voice popped into my neck and I jumped before turning back to glare at Damon as I tried to calm my surprise down.

"I thought you'd gone off to cover your grief in a glass of scotch." I broke in boredom before noticing the closeness with which we were standing while Damon narrowed his eyes at me.

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon really did not understand why he had not killed this little human yet. She was mostly an embarrassment to him and her derogatory comments were infuriating.

Only he could not find the strength in him to hurt her, though he would never tell her or be gentle to her. He knew that even if she found the strength to stand up to him, part of her feared him and got what he wanted. He could not show anyone he was not because he wanted what his brother had. He really did not understand what this girls Gilbert saw in his brother.

For him, he was just ... oh, so boring. They should have known him in 1920, there he was amusing. Plus, he was a choir boy comparing to his brother at that time. There was no doubt that Mila would probably not be more inclined to be friends with St. Stefan if she knew his dark past.

''Well, it looks like someone is particularly mean today. '' Sing-song Damon slightly amused by the brunette's bad mood before taking the cup of coffee that she had prepared and drinking a long gorged, smiling smugly at the sight of her sulky face.

 _ **Mila POV**_

I really could not believe it. This guy was just my personal hell.

"Give me back, this coffee, Damon!" I snorted, trying to catch the cup back, but Damon brought his hand to my forehead to keep me at bay, fully enjoying his strength and stubbornness. "Damon! "

'' Hm! " Damon sighed smugly as he raised his suggestive eyebrows."I love when you scream my name."

I stopped immediately in my stimulation by looking at him with a disgusted grimace before moving back and hitting his shoulder strongly.'' You're disgusting! ''

I took my cup from his hands and took a step farther from him with a grimace and took a sip of my coffee to ease the embarrassment that grew on me.

Had I said how damned these hormones were to me? Yeah, because they really were for me right now.  
I was walking outside the kitchen wanting more than anything to leave the boarding house and especially the dark vampire who was following me currently blowing constantly in my neck and gave me an embarrassment without name. I could feel my insides warming to his simple cool breath in my neck and swallowing so as not to let go a groan. I widened my eyes at the mere thought and made a halt in my step to turn around and shoot the vampire.

"Stop it!" I ordered growing up annoying with the vampire who smiled pretentiously.

He took a shuffling step with me, raising an eyebrow at me, unsure of the new closeness he had established between us.

'' Stop what?" He whispered on my face with an innocent smile and I could feel his warm breath slowly strolling over my rosy lips.

I was sure my heart was racing and seeing the exhilarating smile on Damon's face he could hear.

Only I was not ready to let myself be carried away by this moron. I was not just a pubescent teenager guided by her hormones. I was going to show him. I took a step forward, still holding my cup of coffee in one hand and brought my other flat on his chest with a smile that I assumed seductive.

''You know, Damon ... '' I began as Damon humble under his breath with a cunning smile as he moved closer to my touch, making me smile inside. He really did not know what was waiting for him. '' Your good looks and bad boy attitude can seduce most of the teenage girls in this town, but ...'' I smiled more mischievously as Damon leaned over. And just then, I brought my coffee in front of me before pouring all the content back on the vampire and stepping away as he gasped in shock and disbelief. '' Not me.'' I just finished when Elena went out with Stefan from the living room.

'' What is happening here?" Elena questioned as she glared between me and Damon and I shrugged innocently while Damon seemed to be ready to jump at me.

I hid the cup behind me back and smiled, pleased as Damon pulled his shirt to avoid getting burned more than he already was. "It seems that your brother has a serious jaw problem, Stefan. Or from sight, I don't know. "

I could see Stefan's worried look as he gave me a sharp look not to push further and knew that he probably must have seen the cup I was hiding while Elena shook her head, annoyed.

"It doesn't matter. Come on, Mila. "Said Elena, wanting to get as far as possible from Damon and I gratefully accepted her offer.

* * *

The rain had not stopped, and I finally took full advantage of my day.

I had down my covers with me and was now wrapped in it, staring at the television. It was nice to be a teenager for once. I mean, I knew the tomb vampires were out, but I wanted to get a day for myself before going back into the supernatural disaster. It was just too much, sometimes.

I barely looked at Elena as she came down the stairs and pulled my legs off the couch to sit in her turn. I gave her an eye, incredulous before shaking my head bored and look at the screen. That's why I preferred Jeremy from a distance. He was just a lot easier than Elena.

Suddenly Elena's phone rang, making me look at her expectantly before raising an eyebrow when I heard her sigh before visibly ignoring her correspondent.

Well, that was rude.

I became more and more curious as she played the action six times before frowning when the doorbell rang.

Elena looked through the door before returning her attention to me, probably waiting for me to open the door but I shook my head and readjusted myself against my pillow.

"Whoa! Mature! "She whispered annoyed but stood up to answer, making me smile.

I recognized the voice right away and was glad I did not answer.

Apparently, he had been the one harassing Elena on the phone and I understood better why she had not dropped out.

However, I had to admit that he was rather perseverant. I was barely paying attention to their uninteresting banter when Stefan's name called out to me. I listened to my ears and frowned in worry as I realized that he seemed to have disappeared. I immediately threw off my blankets on the floor and made my way through the opening to look at Damon.

''Where could he be?"I asked, my tone betraying my worry and mistrust of the vampire in front of me and the latter grimaced in anticipation.

"I have an idea, but I'm not sure you like it." Damon replied.

From the moment I realized what he meant, I had dragged Elena and Damon with me. It was out of the question that I left him like that without doing anything. Damon had driven to the farm they had taken over and I could not help but feel my blood boiling in my veins. If they ever went after Stefan, I did not know what I would do.

The worry kept coming and the more minutes passed and the more I felt that Stefan's condition could get worse. The rain that was once a sign of good humor only darkened my current state. I knew Elena was just as worried as I was, but it did not help things. If she did anything, was irritated even more. Damon had insisted on going alone and see if he could bring Stefan back on his own, but I did not really believe it.

In fact, I did not believe enough in him to want to bring back Stefan.

* * *

Now, I was so panicked that I was convinced that I did not even think right. It was the first time that Stefan was put in so much danger and I could not believe it was real. I could not lose him. Not now, never. Not again.

I felt my heart pounding in my chest as I kept my eyes peeled on the woods environment even though the rain prevented me from getting good vision and biting my lip with anxiety. I was playing absently with my hands on my lap and could not stop the worst scenario from lingering in my mind. They were much more numerous, and Stefan was not even on a natural diet for his species. He was at a disadvantage.

''Hey, he's coming back!'' Elena exclaimed as she came out with her umbrella in the torrential rain while I didn't care to get wet as I exploded off Damon's Camaro and joined him in haste.

"Where is Stefan?" I inquired instantly in panic when I saw him come back alone. "Why is he not with you? ''

"They took it off." Damon explained as he took a breath as he let his eyes go back to the house far behind him. "I can't go in."

Elena seemed panicked as she widened her eyes."Why?"

I did not care about why, how. I had to go out Stefan beyond and. It does not matter who it would endanger. I was even thinking of calling Bonnie on the moment but thinking about it.

"Because ..." Damon swallowed as the rain kept coming down on us and I could feel how cold I was if I was not so focused on Stefan."The owner of the house is under compulsion and she must not invite me."

'' Oh yeah ? "I broke in taking a determined step to overtake him." That's what we'll see! "

I had not even taken a step that Damon held me back and pulled me to him before plunging his intense gaze into mine, burning with determination and worry. '' You will not go in there. ''

"You will not stop me." I squeezed him with all my strength, but he held me back with more force and tightened his hands around my arms.

I should feel the pain running through my arms and Damon's impatience with my struggle, but I did not care. I had to go out Stefan and I would go by any means. I was not Elena. He was not going to stop me because he told me to do it. She could stay behind and act on any damsel in distress while someone saved my best friend's ass.

"Mila!" Damon screamed, shaking me, losing the patience he had, and I had to stop grinning at the pain in my shoulders and glare at him, panting. " I say, you will not go in there."

"Damon, let her go! You're hurting her." Elena pleaded with him, now worried about me, but I kept looking at Damon with a gleam barely feeling my tears running down my cheeks in the rain.

"He's all I have, Damon."I asked in an outburst of despair as I realized he was not going to let me go anytime soon and I could feel Elena's eyes going wide to my confession while I snorted, miserable."I can't lose him. "

A silence followed my words as Damon stared intently as if trying to get a message through me, but I was too preoccupied with Stefan to even try to understand. I started shivering, now soaked from head to toe and gulped my saliva as I measured Damon in despair.

''What is the point of doing that? Why are they picking on him?"Elena's panicked voice burst, breaking the bond Damon and I had just entered, and I took a step back in expectation that he released me free.

Damon gauged me before turning his attention back to Elena. "By revenge. They do this out of revenge. "

I already knew that.

It was not difficult to understand when we knew the story of Salvatore. Stefan had told me a part of it, but it was not this questions that were important now. Not for me.

"We have to act quickly." Elena snapped, issuing orders by the minute as she was almost hysterical about the subject. "We can't let them hurt him. We must get him out of here. "

"I know." Damon stopped her, taking her face so that he could look at my sister in the hollow of her eyes, making me want to throw up."Elena, I know that."

I could not believe he was daring to do that now. Get close to her when Stefan was probably being tortured. It was too much for me, I could not stay here with both.

"But I don't know how to get him out."

I gave Damon the dirtiest and dirty look I could get out of and shook my head disdainfully with an expression of contempt.

"Bulls!" I cried in frustration, breaking the moment of the other two before returning to make my way to the car to get on the backseat and slam the door behind me.

I had to find a way for myself. These two were incapable. Elena was too emotional and Damon ... Damon was the opposite.

I needed someone who could handle the situation in a much more mature and rational way. Someone who knew about the vampire world and who would care enough about Stefan to want to help me get him back.

In other words, I had to find Alaric Saltzman.

Unfortunately, I had to get a ride to high school to find the teacher, so I had to share my idea with Damon and Elena once they got back in the car.

I did not talk to one of them all the way even though I could feel their eyes on me multiple times. As I said, they were passive to me and I just wanted to meet Stefan again. I could not stop this ball of anxiety from growing in my stomach and I had to get my mind busy not to lose completely. It was out of the question that I lost someone I loved again. Not if I could do anything about it. And especially not Stefan. He was the best thing since my parents' death and I was not going to leave him. Neither now, nor ever.

As soon as Damon parked the car in the high school car park, I exploded the vehicle and began to walk quickly to the speaker without even bothering to wait for them. I did not care if I could look like an obsessive-compulsive person right now.

All I wanted was to get him back. I could hear fast footsteps behind me and Damon's annoyed voice in thunder, begging me to stop but I ignored him and continued my way.

I took another step when I felt a tight grip on my forearm, preventing me from continuing."Hey! Mila! Stop it! Stop it now!

It was the second time that Damon had entered in my path and it was too much time as I turned in a rush of pure rage and pushed him away with all my might.

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon was tired of taking the temper of the little human. He had let her act too much today and he was going to remind her who he was.

It would have been any human, she would already be dead, and he was seriously beginning to consider the idea. He would have thought that Elena would have been the hardest to handle, not Mila.

 _ **Mila POV**_

I knew I was going to regret it as Damon narrowed his gaze at me at my onslaught and stood in front of me at the vampire speed before closing his hands on my arms in a tight grip.

'' What are you going to do, huh? " He barked frustrated and beyond exasperated by my behavior."You'll go in there and then what?"

I did not care if he could hurt me, I was not in the mood to buy his shit.

"At least I'm doing something! '' I yelled back trying to get myself free, but he tightened his taking hold of me, making me croak in pain and took a threatening step, checking his jaw with that scary look.

"I'm dying to kill you right now." He hissed darkly, clear honesty in his tone and I could see over his shoulder as Elena's eyes widened in fear as his bluish veins and his glowing eyes appeared to emphasize his point. '' Don't test me. ''

"Damon!" Elena growled with that shameless look."Release my little sister. Now!''

The vampire glanced at my sister over his shoulder."You want her?" He asked coldly before throwing me into Elena's arms."Take her and stop her from going out."

I almost stumbled on my feet to the power that Damon sent me into Elena's arms, but I caught myself by sending him a deadly glow before starting to fight Elena.

Strangely, Elena had more strength than she let appear and she managed to hold me until Damon ordered us to hide behind a locker while he made his big exasperating number. I kept struggling against my sister's embrace and thundered Damon as he gave me a warning look before turning to the source of footsteps.

There was a long silence before the familiar voice reached my ears and I was about to talk but Elena gagged me, preventing me from speaking.

"You can't hurt me."

''Oh! What a surprise! You're alive.'' Said Damon sarcastically, making me squint at the vampire's back in irritation.

The fact that Elena prevented me from doing anything did not help things. I did not have time for these things. If we continued like this, Alaric would certainly not help us. Not with Damon in the equation.

"You can't hurt me."The professor said more confidently this time, sticking that vicious, smirk on Damon's face.

"Oh." Damon whispered before flashing a maniacal smile?"I could have no problem."

I took advantage of Elena's distraction to give her the biggest nudge in the abdomen that I could handle, and she let out a scream of pain before releasing me. I did not hesitate for a moment to run at the sight of the professor, receiving a thunderous burst of Damon but kept my attention on Alaric.

"Ric, I need you to help me." I pleaded, the plea clear in my voice as I intentionally excluded Elena and Damon.

Elena chose this moment to make her appearance, still holding her belly in pain and glared at me while Alaric silently analyzed me.

Finally, he sighed heavily before giving us a nod to his class and began to walk without waiting for an answer. I was moving instantly just to get in touch with Damon's chest.

"Move out of my path!" I ordered dryly without even looking at him with a dark look, but he did not move an inch.

"Damon!" Elena called hesitantly but the vampire kept his attention focused on me.

"It's a grow up thing." Damon leaned over me condescendingly and in a dark tone."So let the adults talk."

I cocked my jaw and narrowed my eyes on the vampire in utter exasperation. "Fuck you, asshole."

I quickly passed him storming away from the duo and entered the classroom before sitting with my arms crossed on one of the tables unfortunately followed closely by Elena and the asshole. Alaric immediately frowned at me in worry before squinting in pure hatred of Damon as Elena stepped into his field of vision.

"Stefan is in the house. Damon is a vampire. He can't enter. We need you."Elena summed up hurriedly.

"I'll be fine but ..."

Damon cut me off by sending me a categorical look."But her life is unfortunately too precious. Just like Elena's. Yours on the other hand ...''

I glared at the vampire.

Of course, that was how he intended to get help from Alaric. It was lost in advance. I sincerely regretted not having made a quick getaway and putting off by myself. I will have more luck.

"Stefan told me about your signet ring." Elena said, sending a warning look at Damon, probably hoping he would behave like Stefan but it was useless.

He was not Stefan.

"What's up with her?" Alaric shifted his attention to me as he knew I knew his secret and seemed to be the only one he really relied on in the room.

Damon walked condescendingly."Then I recap. You tried to kill me. I defended myself. You're dead. And if I believe my brother and the brat out there, your ring has brought you back to life. So, I don't know, I ... I forgot something. "

"Yeah." Ric snapped, looking at Damon."The part where I'm trying to kill you again. But this time, I don't miss my shot. ''

I smiled darkly as Alaric took a step forward, but Elena interceded making me moan aloud, calling attention to me.

Of course, she could not let him kill him.

This bastard had called me "brat" and treated me like a kid.

I hated him with all my guts right now and honestly, my current state was not really the best to be on the wrong side.

"You couldn't let Ric kill him?" I exclaimed annoyed, receiving a burst of Damon unlike Elena who ignored me and turned to Ric with a supplicating look.

"Mr. Saltzman, please. This is Stefan. "

Ric refocused on Damon as he answered, disinterested. "I'm sorry, Elena. It's not my problem.''

I jumped up, clutching my jaw to stay calm, and glared at Damon and Elena. They were of no help.

Again, liabilities and only made things worse.

''It's a shame.'' Damon interjected, worrying in anticipation knowing that it would only make the situation worse. '' Because the woman at the head of the pack can help you find your dear wife. "

There was a long silence as Elena turned to Damon in surprise as I narrowed my eyes at the vampire at the same time as Alaric.

"You're lying." Ric accused letting me roll my eyes.

''Of course, that he's lying!'' I said, shooting the vampire with a look that sent me a flash in response as well as a secret eye as if I were supposed to work with him.

Only, it was out of the question that I was going to roll the professor to get his help.

It was not how things worked.

Damon had already done enough carnage in his life and I was not going to send someone into a dangerous situation because he believed a damn lie.

"You believe." Damon insisted, looking at me, challenging me to contradict him before turning his attention back to Ric."Why don't you go ask her yourself?" There was a silence like Ric I turned to me expectantly, but Damon spoke quickly, standing next to me."Coward!"

Chuckled the vampire, grabbing my arm and dragging me with him as he guided Elena out. "Go! Come on, Elena! And you, too, Mila. ''

'' Its good. Wait! "Ric sighed stopping us and I turned around with an incredulous look. He was not going to buy that anyway? It was a lie. A pure lie. '' I'll go.''

I could not believe he really had to buy that. I was standing on the side of the professor's desk as he pulled a huge sports bag from under his desk and laid it heavily on the ebony desk. He started to take out his weapons and went off on Christmas morning for me.

If Stefan's life was not in play, I could really enjoy this moment.

"Teacher by day and vampire hunter by night!" Damon smirked, rolling my eyes at his immaturity before transferring my worshiping eyes to the weapons.

''I owe it to you.'' Snapped Alaric, spreading an evil grin on my lips before I let out a small scream of disbelief.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed as I circled the desk and rushed to Ric's side, gathering curious looks from the other three as I took the baby right in front of me to admire it. '' Is that what I believe?" I turned to Alaric, who gauged me suspiciously.

"Uh ... it's ..."

''Excalibur phoenix crossbow with lunette and quiver. 175 pounds of pressure, speed of an arrow 330 km / h."I felt the weapon in admiration, surprising the other three even if I did not notice it right away.

I took my eyes off the gun and saw that all their eyes were on me, and Damon was carefully gauging me. "What? ''

''What's that? '' Elena asked darting to dispel the heavy silence and I immediately jumped at the opportunity without thinking.

''Tranquilizing darts. Normally, they contain calming for animals but in the circumstances... I would say ... Vervein ?"I rumbled again as I turned to Alaric and I could see the look of disapproval he was throwing at me as if I was not supposed to know that while Damon was gauging me more aware.

"I don't know if I should be surprised or worried?" Damon was really stunned by Mila's knowledge and was really wondering what else she knew. It was something he would know."We'll talk about it later. For now, let me in and I release Stefan. "

I hit my face with my palm open as Elena turned to look at Damon in disbelief. "That's your plan? You intend to face them alone. ''

Honestly, I was still wondering why they were here. They were of no use and served only to bother me more.

"I don't intend to stay in this house ..." Damon said before rolling his eyes, sardonic."Finally I hope."

I shook my head sadly, despairing before catching one of the tranquilizing darts and handed it to Elena, whom she took graciously before taking one for myself.

''Wait ! What are you doing here? "Alaric asked at once, taking a step towards me in a tone of reprimand.

However, it was Elena who answered for us. "What? We accompany you. "

'' No. No. No. No. No. "Objected Damon, singing condescendingly with a cynical smile before turning to me." In your dreams! "

He was definitely a brainless idiot who only hindered my goal from the beginning.

'' You need me. I introduce myself inside. You divert their attention and I release Stefan,"Elena insisted, making me pinch the bridge of my nose in indignation.

Without a plan was even worse.

Besides, she had brought everything back to her and left me on the sidelines as if I were useless.

Of course, I understood.

She wanted to act the hero and save her prince charming. I mean, it was all beautiful and pink and cotton in her little teenage head.

"You will be killed. You will not go in there." Damon snapped with a roll of annoyed eyes at her insistence before turning to me, taking the darts from my hands." You, either. "

"If you follow your plan, you will be taken by others and Stefan will be as good as dead! "I snapped, holding my point as I challenged him to contradict me.

'' Oh, be careful. We might think you're worried about me."Damon retorted sarcastically with a roll of eyes, bored.

I narrowed my eyes at the vampire, my sharp tone as I expressed my thoughts."Oh that, be sure that I care only about Stefan and only Stefan! ''

There was silence after my statement as Damon cocked his jaw as if my words had reached him more than they should before refocusing his attention on Alaric, ignoring me openly.

''So, once you have made me cross the threshold. Hurry up! I will move so that they don't hear me. You, you, will not be ... "Damon pretended to think haughtily before narrowing his eyes to Ric." Let's say a ball. "

I pinched the bridge of my nose in irritation, not knowing how much I could take before an idea crossed my mind. I knew it was a risk, but I had to try.

Obviously, that did not lead to anything and it was out of the question for me to stay on the sidelines and leave Stefan's spell in the hands of these two incompetents.

I suddenly cleared my throat, calling the attention of the three individuals to me."Hum ... I need to go ... well, you know ..."

Damon frowned disdainfully, shaking his head, confused."What are you talking about?''

"Oh god!" I grumbled, raising my arms in exasperation before making an effort to gesticulate and cross my legs as if I really wanted to go to the bathroom."Don't make me say it."

"Seriously, Mila!" Elena exploded, the first to grasp before sighing, outraged. "Go!"

''Whoa! Whoa! She's not going anywhere!'' Forbidden Damon, stopping me from moving on before giving me a brow, suspicious. '' What are you up to? ''

"Damon, let's her go." Elena said, annoyed."She just wants to go to the bathroom."

Damon's eyes widened, skeptical. "Seriously? ''

''Yes ! God, Damon! "I cracked under my breath, trying to make up my lie at best, and I wanted more than anything to strike that smug smile that adorned his lips before he stepped aside.

I paced outside the classroom, acting as calm as I could before activating the pace once I was in the hallway and walking away from the classroom. I needed to act as quickly and clinically as possible. I was not going to let Stefan's life in their hands. As I said, I would not let him do anything to him. Not if I had my say.

I pocketed my hand in the wet pocket of my denim jacket and released a small sigh when my fingers began to rest on the smooth surface. I knew that there was very little to protect myself, but I did not intend to put myself in danger more than necessary.

I quickly turned the corner, glancing stealthily over my shoulder before changing course and passing the door to the parking lot. I put on my hood before looking for a car. I could not possibly steal Damon's car. I was already going to be in a lot of trouble if I ever survived my reckless act, so I did not want to push further.

My eyes stopped on the familiar SUV Alaric and I was quick to launch in the rain to the door driver. I immediately tested the opening and let out a little cry of victory when I could open it. I climbed behind the wheel and glanced hopefully at the contact before rolling my eyes when I saw that the keys were not there.

Obviously, that would have been too easy.

I slid along the seat and kneeled at the pedal before feeling the smooth surface.

Fortunately for me, the rebel phase of Jeremy will have served me. He had taught me to light a car with the wire and it was enough that ... I tore off the table giving access to the wire and began to knit them together.

I could feel my heart beating for miles and I was looking anxiously at the doors of the school. If I were caught now, then all this would have been useless and I would never forgive myself.

I wet my dry lip and pressed in anxiety. '' Go! C'mon ! Please work! ''

The engine raced to life, pulling me a winning smile and I quickly got back behind the wheel before throwing the truck into the pipe. I was already leaving the high school parking lot when I saw Damon, Elena and Alaric coming out of the school gates. I pressed the pedal and the needle climbed at full speed.

I was probably five to ten minutes ahead of them. It was short, so I should really be quick. I drove to the old farmhouse as I had never driven before and probably braved all the driving instructions, which was not the smartest considering the weather.

I could feel the dart weigh in the pocket of my jacket and that was enough to give me the courage to continue.

Finally, I arrived at the edge of the forest and jumped from the truck just stop before running as fast as possible towards the woods. My legs were on fire at each of my strides and I felt the muscles of my thighs contract in the effort. My feet sank into the muddy forest floor which made it a bit more difficult, but I still arrived at my destination.

I stopped in front of the house breathless and pressed my hands on my thighs to take a deep breath.

The last thing I needed was to be spotted because of my heartbeat sounding like a drum.

Once my rhythm back to normal, I grabbed the dart in my pocket and tightened my hand on it before going out and stooping up the steps stealthily. I walked to the nearest window and stooped down, glancing inside. There were several people in front of a television screen and I did not need to watch them to know they were vampires.

I let my eyes wander to the side and suddenly raised an eyebrow at the view of walking leading visibly to a kind of basement or cellar. I took one last look at the window before walking to the stairs and down quickly to just fall on a huge door blinder. I grumbled under my breath before looking around for some sort of entry.

A clenched smile adorned my lips at the sight of a small window. I put my sleeve on my hand to protect myself and lowered me to the ground before giving a sharp blow in the window with my elbow. The window shattered, and I sat up to use my foot to burst the rest of the glass. Once the way was clear, I stuck the dart between my teeth before grabbing the wooden window sill and running the feet first inside the house. I had just broken two federal offenses in less than an hour and I was afraid it was just the beginning. I jumped gently on my feet and stood alertly.

I was obviously in a hallway.

I looked a little more around me and widened the eyes at the sight of a vampire with a bud on the ears and the music blasting at a level too much high.

I held my breath as I tried to advance as quietly as I could and pressed my pace when I passed him. I was stopping in panic when I realized that this place was just a fucking maze. I had gone through three lanes before arriving at this one and only two exits were opposing me. One was on a large closed door and the other opened on another corridor and to top it off, a noise from the floor made me jump in terror.

I quickly closed my eyes taking a deep breath to calm my nerves before tightening my hold on the verveine arrow. I overcame my panicked state and walked without turning around. I rushed straight to the closed door with all the courage I possessed and turned the handle without hesitation.

I was exhaling excitedly when I saw that I had found him. I had really found it.

Then, his position prompted me, and I instantly returned inside closing the door behind me, calling his attention and that of another vampire that I had not seen at first.

'' Mi-Mila? " Stefan gasped breathlessly, and I rushed at him."You shouldn't be here."

"Yeah! Yeah! I know! Already had the lesson."I rolled my eyes before trying to bring my hands to untie Stefan but hesitated at the last moment, not knowing where to start. '' I'll get you out. ''

I took a step back to look for my options.

Stefan was suspended in the air, his arms in a strangling position and I was sure the creepers were soaked in verveine as the pulpits burned from his wrists. I turned my attention to the vampire bound on a chair and noticed the knives planted in his thighs. I walked towards him with an expression of excuse.

'' What is your name? "I asked, trying to alleviate the situation.

"Harper, madam." He replied politely, making me wince in anticipation.

I approached him a little bit and leaned in. "Well, I'm sorry, Harper, but I'll have to borrow one of these." I said, pointing at the knives with a fingertip.

Without waiting for his answer, I bent down and grabbed the handle of the right knife and pulled it with all my strength trying to block his screams of agony with my hand on his mouth. I winced at the sight of blood dripping from the blade and gave another apologetic look at the vampire before returning to Stefan.

"Mila!" Stefan gasped, exhausted, his head hanging down, unable to hold it himself.

"Hey! Hey! It's ok, Stefan! You'll be ok! "I reassured myself as best I could as I tiptoed to free him from his bonds. I stuck my tongue between my teeth as I slashed and could feel the cramps flowing in my arms and legs. '' Go! A small effort!''

"Mila! Hide yourself! "Stefan appeared, eyes wide in panic as he managed to secure the door in fear." Someone is coming! Hide!''

"I'm almost there!" I insisted, ignoring Stefan's warning and stepping back to catch him when the wire broke under his weight. I exhaled trying to hold Stefan with a grimace. '' Go, buddy! I need you to help me a little on this one. "

"Mila! '' Coughed Stefan, suffering the martyrdom. '' Leave me! ''

I shook my head, tried by Stefan's weight and tried to support him. I staggered when the door exploded open, making me stop in fear.

''You! We have things to discuss! "Pointed Damon furiously as he stepped in to stand by me with Elena.

"Mm ... Elena." Stefan sighed, painfully holding his stomach"You shouldn't be here."

"I told her to stay in the car." Damon retorted, before narrowing his icy blue eyes at me. "As for this one, let's not talk about it."

I glared at Damon as he stepped toward Harper, ready to kill him when Stefan warned him."No. Not him. Don't kill him. "

"Good as you please." Damon agreed, casually turning to me.

''Well, instead of killing someone, you could help me! '' I broke in between my teeth as I made a big effort to hold Stefan before turning to my sister as Damon did not move an inch."Elena?''

Elena immediately stood at my side, resuming her initial shock at Stefan's sight and helping me to support him as I snaked his bare arm over my shoulder.

''Ok. We get the hell out of here! Put on clothes."Said Damon, anxious to leave this place, throwing Stefan's clothes on him to cover him.

I gave Harper a look over my shoulder and took advantage of Damon's support to let Stefan go. "Wait! ''

'' What? '' Barked Damon frustrated and annoyed as he gauged me squinting. '' Mila, I'm about to break your neck. Move! Get out of there! Now!''

I did not know about Damon's protests and returned to Harper to remove the second knife from his thigh with a soft smile before leaving the trio.

We managed to get back to the outside door and pulled Stefan with us. When we reached the outside, I was out of breath and could hear my heart beating at miles an hour.

''Can you take him to the car?" Damon asked, stopping halfway, giving us an anxious look.

Elena nodded instantly, "Yes."

'' Okay. Go ahead!"Damon ordered immediately, already making his way back in the home and I stopped in my tracks in my turn.

'' And you, then you're not coming?'' I wondered, already knowing the question.

'' Save it! I'm making fun of it."Damon explained starting to walk back but narrowed his eyes when he realized I did not move. "Go! ''

I gave one last hesitant look back before returning my attention to Elena and lightened a part of Stefan's body on her. We were halfway through the woods already and I did not know how long I could hold Stefan when he was dying so much pain. It hurt to see him that way.

"Hum!" Stefan groaned again, calling out to me.

'' You'll get there ... Come on!'' I told him, putting a little more weight on me to help him. '' I hope the car is here soon, Elena. ''

Elena gave me a look of reprimand over Stefan's shoulder."You'll know if you didn't choose to do something stupid."

"I don't believe ... Ah!"

Stefan collapsed on the floor, dragging me and Elena in his fall and I could hear Elena's flesh cut as I landed heavily on Stefan's chest, reaping another of his moans.

'' Oh my God ! "I exclaimed, scrambling quickly to my feet in worry." Are you okay? ''

"Yeah." Elena answered stupidly, rolling my eyes.

I look my muddy clothes and immediately went to help Stefan. "Not you, Elena. Go! C'mon! Get up!''

Stefan dragged on for a good ten minutes until Damon's car was finally in sight. I sighed in relief, relieve.

'' Go! A little effort. We have arrived soon."Assured Elena with a grimace.

I stopped in front of the car and let Elena wear Stefan for a moment before getting into the passenger seat while Elena climbed behind the wheel leaving me in the back seat. I watched expectantly Elena start to get us out of there but instead she turned to us with a panicked expression.

"Stefan." She called horrified, and that was when the window was broken, and I looked helpless as Stefan's body was pulled out again.

I immediately jumped out of the car under Elena's frightened screams to widen her eyes in horror as the man who had flirted with Jenna was hitting Stefan like mad.

I had to do something.

Everything, anything but could not find a simple idea as my mind was paralyzed by worry and panic.

The man grabbed Stefan by lifting him off the floor and I let out a small, horrified scream as he sank a stake into Stefan's abdomen, making him bend in pain.

"That's for Bethany." The vampire said as he prepared to remove the stake from Stefan's body for his heart.

It was then that the dart came to my mind and I reacted on instinct.

I grabbed the arrow in my pocket and ran straight on the man before pushing it right into the neck.

The vampire immediately dropped Stefan into unconsciousness and I watched horrified as Stefan's body fell to his side in agony.

"Stefan ..." I whispered, bringing my hands to my mouth for a word loss and I was about to take a step towards him, but Elena was ahead of me.

She knelt at his side and pulled the stake with tears of terror that made Stefan scream and I ran in panic to him. I dropped to my lap, my hands hovering over his body as his eyes rolled back into his skull and Elena began to panic.

'' Stefan ... Stefan ... No, Stefan ... Stefan ... Stefan ... '' Elena shook him in tears as I remained totally petrified in panic. '' Stefan, Stefan." Elena raised her head to look at me through her tears. "Mila, do something! Please, do something!''

I was barely aware that she was speaking to me as I felt my world crumble around me and heard only the deafening sound of my irregular heartbeat, blocking her own voice.

He could not be dead. He had no right to abandon me. He was not allowed. I felt the tears fall down my cheeks as a lump formed in my throat, impeding my right-mindedness.

I was sure I was losing when I felt Elena's persistent pinch on my hand, forcing me to look at her through my tear-stained eyes.

"Mila! Please ! Help him!" Elena asked desperately when a moan followed closely by rustling clothes caught my eye on the other vampire.

He was coming back to him.

We had to hurry.

I was trying to find something to wake up Stefan, but nothing came to my mind.

'' Go! Get up, please!"I whispered, shaking the vampire to the ground as if my life depended on it before I glanced at the vampire further.'' Get up! Get up! ... Stefan."I looked up at Elena, feeling really vulnerable and needing to be guided for once." I don't know what to do. "

I saw Elena staring at her bloody hand before she looked back at Stefan, making my eyes go wide in fear. She was going to bring her hand to Stefan's mouth, but I grabbed it before in a firm grip.

"He needs it, Mila! I must do it."Elena insisted, fighting my grip making me squint at her.

''No, you don't know what that will do to him. "I forbid categorically. "You can't do this to him. You have no right.''

I was aware of Stefan's dark past, though he never told me about it.

It was obvious after the life he had had but I knew from Lexi that it had something to do with human blood. I could not let him incur that risk. I was not going to save him to lose him then. It was out of the question.

"Mila! "Barked Elena with a grimace, fighting me." "Let me do it or we all die."

I kept my grip on her, narrowing my eyes, challenging her to continue struggling but she used my loss from before as an advantage and pushed my arm violently before planting her hand on Stefan's mouth.

The latter immediately regained consciousness and turned his eyes wide on my silly sister. I could see the veins under the eyes of the vampire flocking and I really did not like it.

"I beg you, Elena." Stefan pushed Elena's hand away from him. "Save yourself!"

Elena shook her head, negative."I'm not leaving you."

I got up when I saw that the vampire on the ground was more and more conscious and gauged him on alert.

I was so focused on the vampire in fear that I did not notice Elena give Stefan her wrist to drink on her until it was too late. I looked wide-eyed, totally panicked at the sight in front of me as Stefan drank eagerly on the wrist of my older sister.

I knew it was not normal. He seemed so hungry now. So out of him and that gleam in his eyes. It was as if with every sip he was taking, he was slowly losing his soul. The person he was, and it scared me terribly.

Once Stefan had regained strength enough, he had ordered us to hide behind one tree while he lay on the floor, forcing the unconsciousness to take charge of the man, Frederick as he had called but this was the last of my worries.

Stefan's gaze after he had fed. I felt like he was a different person.

Frederick rose suddenly from the floor, I was biting my anxious thumb as he grabbed the wooden stake and approached Stefan.

Then suddenly, Stefan stood up suddenly and threw the vampire with all his might into a tree making me bite my skin to the blood in the start. I closed my eyes, bringing my arms closer to me when Stefan impaled the vampire, killing him instantly and thinking it was really over, but Stefan continued to slaughter him with anger and rage that I had never seen at home.

Elena ran straight to him, unaware of the change in the vampire now in front of us. It was not Stefan anymore. It was the sleeping monster in him and he was showing his true face.

"Stefan. He's dead." Elena informed him to stop him, but what followed was worse than anything.

I jumped back, failing to knock it over when Stefan whirled around Elena with his vampire face. The blue veins snaked under his eyes and the blood was injecting his eyes into something horrible, but it was not the scariest thing.

It was ... it was his fangs, they had come out and seemed deadly in this new day.

After that, Stefan had finally calmed down and I was going back to Alaric's car in an almost amorphous state.

My thoughts were overdrive as Stefan's images kept looping.

Part of me, knew that was always Stefan.

The vampire boy who was my best friend and would never hurt me intentionally but another party and much more aware, knew that something had changed at home.

The hidden darkness I had seen the first time we met seemed to have multiplied. Even in Damon, I had not seen this kind of madness yet.

I had brought Alaric's car back to the high school parking lot and was walking down the deserted streets of Mystic Falls when I felt my phone vibrate in the back pocket of my jeans.

I noticed that I had multiple messages and missed calls and realized the seriousness of the situation when I read Jeremy's messages.

I felt that everything was going to break loose from a moment and it was today. Stefan had just changed, and Vicki's body had just been discovered.

I did not know what the future was for us, but one thing was certain, it was that the dark times were yet to come.


	18. Chapter 18 : Control

**_I would really like to thank everyone who followed and added this story to their favorites. It really matters to me._**

 ** _In addition, I would also like to thank everyone who commented on this story. You're still a little bit shy about reviews, but I really hope you like this story._**

* * *

 **Chapter eighteen : Control**

I turned on my back with a deep exhausted sigh and glanced at my alarm clock. I should be getting ready for high school in less than an hour and all I could think of was getting a good ten minutes of sleep.

It was several nights that I could not get a single ounce of sleep and the effects of my insomnia began to be felt. My eyes were bloodshot and puffy with fatigue, purple rings hollowed on my cheekbones, and my complexion had paled considerably.

I had the attention span of an eight-year-old and could not think straight. My mind was too busy tormenting me.

I had not stopped worrying about Jeremy.

I sincerely feared that he might fall back into a bad habit in response to the discovery of Vicki's body, but he seemed to have found a way to overcome.

Only, I did not know if it was reassuring or rather terrifying. I knew about his search for the truth. He wanted to know what was really happening to Vicki.

Officially, her death was recognized as an overdose, but Jeremy was convinced that the police were covering the truth and the worst, he was right.

However, even though I knew it was true, I could not support it.

Especially not now.

Another thing that kept me awake was Stefan. I thought it was probably the only thing that worried me the most. I had not seen him since that night when Elena had made him drink her blood, but I could not ignore that knot twisting its way through my stomach every time I thought about the vampire. Something was wrong with him and I knew it. He had ignored my calls and had not given a single sign of life leaving me even more gloomy than usual. I needed to see him, to know that he was well and that he was getting back on track even though part of me knew it was not what he was doing.

Elena did not see the harm in what she did, but I knew she had destroyed so much more than she could imagine. I had seen his face, the emptiness in Stefan's eyes, and I could not forget the despair I felt in my chest seeing him like that. I was not afraid of him. He was Stefan after all.

And then, even if he scared me, I would overcome that fear to be with him. Because the sad truth was that I could not live without him. I was so desperate to have him by my side that I realized I was ready to put myself in danger just to find the comfort of his presence.

Finally, I was just as pathetic as Damon. I did not care if I could die or even look like a miserable teenager if it meant I got the right to be at his side. Because part of me ... most of me, was looking for someone for acceptance. All I wanted was to find someone with the same dull pain that I felt every day. And Stefan. Stefan was that person. He was my equal and I accepted him as he accepted me. I did not lie when I said he was all I had because it was the sad truth. I could be surrounded by my family, my twin, my sister or even Felix. Stefan was the only one who managed to make me see a light in the darkness that surrounded me. He was the one who had made me smile for a long time and I could never be grateful enough for what he had done.

When I saw myself through its green forest orbs, I felt important.

I belonged.

Suddenly, the ringing of my alarm clock, sounded and I realized that I was staying in the same position keeping my eyes focused on my ceiling without a word.

I threw off my blankets on the sides, grimacing slightly at the sensation of the cold floor under my sole before making my way to my dresser. I pulled on a pair of underwear before choosing a plum wave tank top and black skinny jeans that my mother bought from me a long time ago. I usually hated exposing my curves so much, but I needed something that brought me a hint of comfort. I felt empty right now and I wanted to be able to continue. Not only for me but for Stefan, too. I had to do everything in my power to bring him back from his dark side. I had to bring him back or else I would not lose myself.

I changed quickly before braiding two strands on each side of my forehead and tied them together in a bohemian way before applying a hint of perfume to the crook of my neck and threading my mother's ring on my right forefinger.

I took a last look in my mirror just to wince at my sight. I was miserable and could probably compete with any undead in the city. I knew I could not get out of my room like that without calling Aunt Jenna and maybe even Elena.

On a whim, I grabbed Elena's foundation and covered my imperfections, grimacing at the feeling of a new layer on my face.

It was definitive, I hated makeup.

I applied only the essentials and quickly made my way outside the bathroom.

I put on a black hoodie before putting on my lace-up combat boots and grabbed my leather jacket and bag as I slung a shoulder strap over my shoulder as I closed the door to my room. I could hear voices coming from the floor below and I raised a confused eyebrow before pausing up the stairs when I saw him. A broad smile graced my lips despite myself and I did not control my next actions as I started down the stairs four to four before literally throwing myself into his arms, having no problem sharing a hug with him.

"Uncle John!" I exclaimed almost euphoric at his sight.

I felt his arms snaking at me instantly followed closely by a laugh from his chest as he hugged me fondly stroking my back.

"Hey, Mila!" John greeted me affectionately as I pulled away from him to dazzle him with a bright smile before he turned to Jenna, resuming his arrogant look. "Jenna."

The tension in the room was palpable as Jenna frowned, already bored by the presence of Uncle John. "John. So, you could finally come. "

I did not know the animosity they represented for him and shook my head. I was aware of the resentment they felt towards Uncle John. They never got along well, and it seemed that Jeremy and I were the only ones who were happy about his presence. It was true that he was arrogant and boring most of the time, but he was also the only person closest to my father and I really missed him.

After the death of my parents, he was the only one I had agreed to talk with and he promised to call me as often as he could. At first, it had worked for a while, but the days had passed and more, I shut myself in, refusing his calls or answering mails.

I had to admit that with what was happening in my life, he could not arrive at the best time.

''I told you noon at the latest, no.''Supported John pretentiously as he entered the house with a pompous air.

"Between what you say and what you do. There's often a big difference."Jenna snapped back, sending him a venomous glare, rolling my eyes while John ignored her openly.

I heard Jeremy's heavy footsteps, captivating our attention, and I saw him copy my smile when he saw Uncle John at my side.

"Uncle John." Hailed Jeremy, posing in front of him to give him a hug."I don't you would come?''

'' Yes. I came to settle a few things. I thought a visit was a must."John explained, giving Jenna a secret look, slightly frowning at me before shrugging.

"Hey, Mila!" Jeremy interrupted me, sounding dreary, forcing me to turn to him with an eyebrow, questioning."You giving me a ride in high school? ''

I nodded in agreement with a concerned look before making my way outside. '' Sure. See you later Uncle John. "

* * *

The trip was rather embarrassing.

Elena had invited herself along and a heavy silence had been preaching in the cockpit throughout the race.

I could see from the corner of my eye how Jeremy looked tired and wanted more than anything to get a real conversation with him. Only it was enough that I got a glance at Elena, who was looking sadly at the back of my SUV to think about Stefan again.

I finally reached the parking lot and we were all three divided without a word for our respective occupations.

It was sad to see, honestly. We hardly looked like a real family now.

I had managed to get through the better part of the day without too much hitch although Stefan was still missing and that had only heightened my concern for the vampire. I had even thought of calling Damon to get news from Stefan since he was not answering any of my calls or even my voice mails and that really meant how much I was panicked.

I opened my locker and paused looking at the inside without really looking at it.

My thoughts were focused on the vampire and no matter, what I did, I was unable to get it out of my mind.

It was at times like that that I was grateful to have a high GPA that allowed me to get ahead in my curriculum otherwise I would really be lagging.

If I were honest with myself, I'd watched Stefan's empty seats more than listening to today's classes and this was really starting to take a toll on me.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I did not even notice the new presence at my side or the way he looked at me with concern. I sighed again before recovering my book of trigonometry before slamming the door of my locker, closed and stepping aside just to start jumping my book when I found myself face to face with Felix.

''You took exactly one minute and fifty-five seconds to notice me. I think you just beat your own record of inattention, Mila.'' Remarked Felix with sarcasm as he looked at his watch to emphasize his point as I shook my head bored and retrieved my book from the floor.

"Hilarious, Felix! Hilarious! "I sneered rolling my eyes before turning on my heels and starting to walk to my next class knowing that Felix would follow me.

There was a long silence where only the sound of teenagers and our footsteps could be heard until Felix finally cracked."Ok, what's the problem with you, the Gilbert? Jeremy seems to be about to commit suicide at any moment. Your sister acts like a neurotic and you. You don't talk about it. You are barely aware of your surroundings. "

 _ **Felix POV**_

Felix knew Mila well enough to know that something was wrong, and it seemed much worse than he thought at first. Admittedly, this girl had always been very strange and complex, but she always had a level of lucidity that differentiated her from a crazy person, from a sad person.

He frowned as he saw the one deepening Mila and could see her searching the halls of the eyes as if she expected someone to appear at any moment. This simple action gave Felix more than any word and he sighed in the realization.

"You're looking for him, aren't you? ''

 _ **Mila POV**_

I scarcely listened to Felix's questions or even what we were talking about until some words spoke to me.

 _You're looking for him, are not you?_

It was as if I was coming out of a sort of trance and looked at Felix with an arched, questioning eyebrow. '' Him? ''

"You know who I'm talking about, Mila." Felix whispered with an eye rolling, annoyed. "He didn't show up today so I concluded that your moody mood is because of him.''

''Who is he? And I'm not morose."I asked, stopping in my tracks with a frown.

''Oh really?"Replied Felix, skeptical." Mila, admit it. When Stefan isn't here, you act as if you were only a shadow of yourself and it really starts to be weird. You need to detach yourself from him. "

I looked at Felix, gaping, not knowing what to say to that before swallowing, frowning, bored."Stefan is my friend and I worry about him. There is nothing weird about it. "

"Yes, and your sister is his girlfriend." Felix recalled, implying starting to grow on my mood, and I jabbed my jaw in disbelief.

"What is it supposed to mean?" I snapped.

Felix took a slight step back, unsure whether to say what he thought or not before sighing, pinching the bridge of his nose. "What I'm trying to tell you is that you should maybe let Elena worry about Stefan. "

'' You know what, Felix? '' I heave a glare at his attention.'' And if you took care of your own business. ''

With that, I rushed with my book against my chest and turned the corner as quickly as possible in exasperation. I could not believe he had just said that. It was just totally unfair and false.

I had as much right to worry about Stefan as Elena.

Besides, he could never understand anyway. He had never understood my friendship with Stefan.

I was so busy fuming against Felix that I did not really look in front of me and soon collided with another student or what I thought was closely followed by a cascade of books.

I stepped back under the impact and looked up, ready to scream at my assailant before widening my eyes at Alaric's sight.

"Ric!" I croaked, stammering quickly to pick up the books I had dropped. "I'm sorry, I didn't really look where I was going and-"

"It's okay, Mila." Interrupted Alaric, lowering himself to his feet to help me pick up my books.

To say that I was incredibly uncomfortable was a euphemism. I had not really apologized for stealing and tampering with his SUV, let alone communicating with him since last time.

In fact, I had rather made it a priority to avoid the teacher. I knew that I was obsessive during that day and my actions were not rational.

I picked up the last book and handed it to him, looking down, embarrassed. "Here. "

"Thank you." Ric agreed, before letting a heavy silence settle between us. We stood facing each other, not really knowing what to say until finally, Alaric spoke again. '' How are you? ''

''Me? "I was slightly surprised by his question before answering in a complete lie." Oh, good! I'm fine actually."Alaric raised an incredulous eyebrow, not buying my lie in the least, and I sighed weakly."I'm a bit on edge. That's all.''

'' You want to talk about it? '' He suggested, kindly before pushing. '' I have a free period. We could go to my office to talk. "

I weighed my options but finally shook my head in response. I could not really tell him what was on my mind right now. According to the little that I knew of the professor, I knew he could not understand and would probably warn Stefan.

Finally, the rest of the day passed like a blur and I found myself at home without even really noticing it. I wanted to go see Stefan at the boarding house. I really wanted but something told me it would not help the situation. Not now anyway.

I had not really heard from Felix since our altercation and I had to admit that it was better like that. I was still going up against him and did not really want to talk to him again for the moment. In fact, that was the last thing I wanted to do on my list. Stefan was the head of the list not Felix.

I was just listening to the conversation around me and wondering where Elena was. It was a family meal and I was happy that Uncle John was with us but my thoughts on Stefan only darkened my mood.

"I'm sure Mila will agree with me." John's voice popped through my mist of thought and I peppered at that with wide-ranging eyes of confusion.

''What? ''

Jenna chuckled slightly, sending a glare at John's attention as he gave me a look of reprimand for my inattention."Your twin here, doesn't understand the importance of tradition. Tell him why it's important that our family be present at the launch party."

I stared slightly at that. The launch parties.

I had completely forgotten about it. Honestly, I totally agreed with Jeremy. As far as I knew it was Elena who liked this kind of meeting, unlike my brother and I who preferred to stay at home.

"Actually, I wasn't going to go either." I replied with a slight shrug, disinterested, gathering a new mocking laugh from Jenna and a nod of gratitude from Jeremy.

John frowned, disapproving."You have to come ... follow the tradition."

''Respect the tradition!"Jenna repeated ironically, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly.

Jeremy and I were barely listening when John began unnecessarily praising the virtues of our family."The Gilbert are honorable citizens of this city for 150 years. One of the founding families, but this great honor obliges us to certain obligations of which this evening, precisely."Only, something in his speech, interpolated to me, making me frown as I listened the following with suspicion. "One day, when you can measure the full range, I'll tell you everything about your heritage."

I did not really know what he meant by that, but the secret look and the mysterious tone he used when he said that did not inspire me with anything good. I knew that look and it left me suspicious. I had never realized this but if my parents were on the council as Stefan had told me the first time, he had explained what he was then it would mean that Uncle John could just as easily to know.

"Hm!" Jenna sighs bored, pulling me out of my thoughts."The famous legacy of the Gilbert family. It's true that it's so sacred, but as I'm not a Gilbert, it's not necessary to speak about it in front of me. Huh? "

At that, I frowned, perplexed just like Jeremy and met his confused gaze before he turned his attention back to the two adults who behaved like dogs and cats."But ... Uh ... why so much hate?"

Honestly, what followed was miles of lunar from what I could imagine as I was choking on my food in shock and disbelief.

"We were sleeping together, there was a time." Lasted John pretentiously and arrogantly, leaving us speechless, Jeremy and me while Jenna boiled before throwing her fork full of food on John.

I could not hold back my next burst of laughter as some of the food ricocheted over Jeremy as Jenna ranted at John with a scowl.

After that, the dinner was over and I could not help but get that slight smile on my lips before finding a sad frown. That's what we could be. What we should have been. A family teasing themselves and getting some quarrel. It reminded me once again of what we could have but will never have again. All this was an illusion finally and I knew it was not the reality. As much as I wanted, my life had become much more broken than I could describe, and it was irreparable.

I was passing right past Elena's room when I heard a thud, making me jump into her room anxiously.

"Elena?" I screamed in panic just to find she was on her bed and seemed to focus on the side I was on.

I raised an eyebrow, confused before looking at the place where her eyes were riveted just to see an empty space leaving me all the more confused.

''What do you look? "I asked, turning my attention to her and taking a better look at her appearance.

These features were tense, and she still seemed breathless as if she had just done a kissing session and that was what made my eyes widen in comprehension.

"Stefan was there. "I went right back to her room and immediately searched for the vampire but could not find anything except the presence of my older sister who still seemed so shocked."What happened, Elena? ''

At that, Elena took her eyes off the wall and turned her attention to me with a frown, innocent."What? Nothing.''

I knew instantly that she was lying to me and was perfectly aware of the noise I had heard. Something was wrong, and it was about Stefan.

Obviously, she seemed to scare and I did not have to be a great physicist to imagine what had happened.

* * *

When the next morning I spotted Damon following Elena to her room, I knew that she had finally asked for help and I could not help but feel a surge of anger at the fact that she was trying to exclude me.

It reminded me of my absurd argument with Felix and I thundered under my breath down the stairs with exasperation. I immediately went to the kitchen to find Jeremy finishing a bowl of cereals.

Without even bothering to ask, I took his almost empty bowl from his hands, gathering an objection from the latter but ignored it when I filled the bowl with milk, a sullen face plastering on my face.

"Hello to you too, double." Jeremy grumbled before raising an eyebrow, anxious at my lack of response. "What got you so pissed in the morning? "

I took a bite of my cereal by sending a shine on Jeremy."Our selfish sister."

"What did she do this time?" Jeremy asked with annoyance.

I glared at him for his disinterest in the situation and snapped."She's acting behind my back."

I knew it was exactly what she was doing. She had always done this since we were a kid but now it was something that was too important for me to let her do without saying anything.

''What's new?'' I asked Jeremy, rolling my eyes, forcing me to squint at him in irritation.

I opened my mouth to share the depths of my thoughts when the doorbell made me scowl at the front door. I turned my attention to Jeremy expectantly before looking up at the ceilling when I realized he was not going to get it. I rested my bowl on the island with a faint growl before I went to the door to raise an eyebrow interrogator at the sight of Felix.

"Hey!" He hissed awkwardly with a tense smile as I shook my head, letting me rest against the door frame with my arms crossed over my chest.

''What are you doing here? "I asked with a slight annoyance as to his presence.

I had not yet gone through what he had told me. It turned out that I was probably much more likely when it came to Stefan, I recognized it now but that was no reason to admit that in front of Felix.

''Uh..."Blow Felix, widening his eyes in an exaggerated way before hissing." So, you're still mad at me. "

"Your point, Felix." I was not really in the mood for that and Felix sighed.

''Okay, I'm sorry, okay. '' Recognized Felix making me look wide in surprise. '' I shouldn't have said that about you and Stefan. You're friends and only friends. There is nothing ambiguous or anything between you and you have the right to worry about him. "

I could not believe it was his apology.

If he did anything, he was annoyed more.

I raised an incredulous eyebrow but sighed all the same in sign of acceptance. I did not really have time to argue with him right now. I already had a problem with Stefan, I could not leave Felix aside too.

I rolled my eyes before stepping aside to let him in and turned around without saying a word on the stairs. I could hear the door closing, followed closely by Felix's steps and I knew he was following me.

I filled the rest of the meters leading to my room but not without glancing at the closed door of Elena's room. I could vaguely hear whispers that Damon was still there, and I would be tightening my fists in annoyance.

I entered my room and let myself fall back on my bed and was soon joined by Felix. For several minutes we were lying there, without saying anything until Felix sighed heavily exaggerated and I turned to him with a raised eyebrow, puzzled.

"I'm bored." He exclaimed with a pout like a five-year-old and I rolled my eyes again.

"You just have to listen to what my idiot Sister and Damon say in the next room." I suggested without really thinking and Felix made me jump, sitting up abruptly.

I turned my head to one side, eyes wide to look at him. "Damon is in your sister's room? As in Damon? The super-hot Damon that I dream to taste? This Damon? ''

"Oh god!" I groaned incredulously before rolling my eyes. "I'm talking to you about Damon and you, you automatically think about that? ''

''What? He's hot."Defended Felix with a salacious smile." Like really, really hot. "

I got up and walked to my desk and pinched the bridge of my nose as I turned to Felix. "Wait, did you say in her room? Why is he not in yours? "

"Because they are scheming about Stefan." I replied before pausing with a grin as I realized his insinuation. "Can I know why he should be in my room?"

"Oh, c'mon." Groaned Felix as if I was supposed to know the answer before rolling my eyes."Seriously? There's something between you two. "

'' Put-what? What ... no! Ew, god! No!"I stammered, widening my eyes in complete embarrassment.

I could already feel my cheeks blushing in embarrassment at his innuendo and shook my head wildly in negation.

Felix raised an incredulous eyebrow with a smirk that worried me more. "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't find Damon Salvatore hot. ''

I instantly scoffed at this by catching the first object I found to play with and relax my nerves and found myself strangely a T-shirt. I folded it unconsciously giving reason to Felix in spite of myself and began to survey my room shaking my head with a tense smile.

''Pff! "I chuckled, taking a nervous laugh." It's out of the question for me to do that, Felix. What are we? 13? Pff! Yeah, no! Impossible.''

I could see Felix's smile widen as I sank and finally cracked rolling my t-shirt into a ball before casually throwing it on the floor and turning to Felix pointing furiously with a frown.

"Stop smiling!" I ordered, pointing at him with a shine, annoyed.

* * *

Finally, Felix had not stopped irritating me until I finally gave in and recognized in a hushed whisper that Damon was hot. As if the humiliation had not been enough for Felix, he had forced me to accompany him to the launch party and I found myself now in the gigantic lobby of Lockwood looking for someone who could distract me from this hell.

Felix had abandoned me just as his father had come to get him to talk about a mysterious family affair, and I was now alone among a horde of mundane crowds growing on my irritation.

I took another step forward just to be hit hard by one of the servers and almost fall to the ground.

Fortunately for me, I made up for it before making a fool of myself and quickly rejoined the far side of the dance floor as well as the crowd.

I crossed my arms over my chest, leaning on one side of the wall and watching people chatting without much interest.

These parties were really boring, and I was still wondering why I was here.

I was staring at Mayor Lockwood and his wife, who were currently talking to the infamous Kelly Donovan, and widened slightly my eyes at Tyler's sighting of a bottle of Alcohol with a conspiratorial smile before slipping away a blond quarterback to his suite.

The sudden change of creepy and boring music for something more catchy interrupted me and I turned my attention to the dance floor to widen my eyes at Stefan's sight. He seemed in good shape.

Well, if drunk meant fit and danced with several girls. I started right through the growing dancing crowd and joined him in a few strides.

''Stefan? "I questioned him uncertainly holding him by the arm, so he turned around.

"Mila!" He exclaimed unusually euphoric and mostly drunk before catching me by the waist and lifted me from the ground, gathering one of my gasps of surprise to spin me around.

I could feel the embarrassment as well as the blood throbbing over my face and quickly hooked on Stefan's hands for a bit of stability before releasing a gasped breath when he rested me on the ground.

"Stefan, are you okay? "I asked instantly as soon as I had my feet on the floor in complete anxiety.

It was not him. He did not act like that.

I already knew the answer to my question, but I needed to hear his answer to know if his case was much worse than I thought.

"I've never been so well, Mila." Stefan replied with a big, drunken ass smile on his lips making me look incredulous and even more concerned. "Come on, Mila, don't mind that. Dance with Me.''

I held a breath to that, widening my eyes, surprised. "What? Stef ... ''

I did not have time to finish my sentence that I already felt his arms snake around my waist and began to pull me a little more on the dance floor. He put my own hands around his neck and pulled me closer, leaving no gap between us making me blush like a tomato and I looked up from my sneakers, embarrassed to cross his expression smug.

''See? '' Interrupted Stefan with that bored drunk smile, but still very attractive."You dance and I'm fine."

"And everything is fine in the best of all worlds." I continued sarcastically with a roll of eyes."Yeah, I know the draft, Stefan."

"Bouh!" Stefan exclaimed as a capricious child, his alcoholic breath blowing across my face and making my nose crumble with scent."You're ruining the pleasure."

I shook my head rolling my eyes and adjusted my hands around Stefan's neck before finally cracking a slight smile.

"And she's smiling!" Stefan said happily before bringing his hand under my chin to look at me as I hid in embarrassment. "I like when you smile."

I looked up at him at that and frowned slightly, losing my smile. It was not real. It was not the Stefan I knew, and I knew it. He was not supposed to act like that. He did not act like that.

With a dull expression, I pulled away from him, stopping our dance, and gathered a puzzled look from Stefan who seemed more bored than anything else now.

"Swear to me you're fine." I insisted, crossing my arms over my chest, categorical knowing full well that his answer would be a lie, but I needed to hear it.

Stefan seemed more nervous now as he looked at me probably looking for the strength to lie to my face and I sincerely hoped he could not but finally, he assured."I promise you I'm fine, Mila. It's just that ... "

"You're lying, Stefan." I cut him dry, shaking my head with a disappointed look."That's proof you're not doing well."

Honestly, after that, I could not keep looking him in the face.

He had dared to lie to me in the face. It was much worse than I thought.

I was crossing again, the hordes of people dancing on the dance floor and suddenly pushing some on my way. I was beyond frustrating and especially annoying. I did not know what to do to help him and I sincerely wished that Lexi was still there to help me with Stefan. I was convinced that the blonde would have managed this problem and especially wanted to help Stefan.

I felt like I was really the only one who really cared about his condition and I did not like the feeling of helplessness I was feeling right now. In fact, I hated feeling so helpless when it came to Stefan.

I was standing in a back corner of the dance floor to keep a close eye on Stefan and shook my head in disappointment when I spotted him dancing and shouting unrestrained with a group of girls.

I just felt like reliving a scene of déjà vu.

I was so focused on Stefan that I did not notice the new presence by my side until he made himself known. "Still as nonconformist to what I see."

I was already rolling my eyes at the simple listening of his angry voice before turning to him with an eyebrow arched in boredom.

I really was in no mood to take his jokes.

"Always so boring." I returned without much enthusiasm before returning to observe Stefan with a disapproving look.

"You really are not fun when you worry." Damon mused wearily, and I gave him a sideways look.

"I think that's normal since my best friend is totally derailed under the influence of human blood." I snapped in a soft whisper.

"Hm." Hummed Damon with a slight grimace."I guess it's not really the right time to talk about the baby Gilbert crisis, then."

I frowned at this and immediately turned to Damon waiting for answers. I knew something was wrong with Jeremy and if I was honest with myself, I knew it would happen a long time ago.

"What did he do?" I asked apprehensively mixed with the lassitude of all this twists.

Sometimes I just felt like I was in an alternative reality where all that was just an endless dream.

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon glanced at the little brunette next to him and could see how the last few months had changed her.

She was more confident, stronger but also more vulnerable and exhausted. He knew it was not really the right time to announce that her twin idiot would run the streets asking questions about the girl Donovan. He had compelled him; this kid just could not stay away. He was like a thorn in his foot.

Without bothering to ask her, already knowing her answer, Damon took Mila by the hand before driving her despite her surprise effect and her light fight on the dance floor.

He closed his hand on her before bringing his other arm around her waist and pulling her frail body against his with a smirk when he saw the symptoms of embarrassment appear on her face.

She was cute when she embarrassed.

Finally, for a kid.

He frowned slightly at his thoughts before turning his attention back to Mila as she seemed to speak to him with blatant boredom.

''What's the problem with you, Salvatore's and want to make me dance?" She sighed with an arching eyebrow in irritation that made Damon laugh quietly.

"You're a very good rider, Mila." Damon retorted, widening his eyes falsely."I've already told you to give you a little more credit."

Mila tilted her head to the side, sending him a sharp look into the boredom, obviously not buying his bullshit and a smirk his lips.

"Seriously, Damon." I gasped, tired. "Are you going to do anything to help Stefan or just watch him sink a little more?"

 _ **Mila POV**_

Damon rolled his eyes, annoying me more. '' Stefan can wait a little longer. Your twin on the other hand ... he keeps asking questions about the death of his ex, Vicki. "

'' What did he ask?" I asked, impassive.

It was not really a big surprise and Damon raised an eyebrow, surprised by my lack of reaction before resuming a bored expression.

"I'm going to ignore your lack of reaction." Damon announced with a sharp glance before resuming, mocking Jeremy, sarcastically. 'But sheriff who was able to bury her. Who did that?"I stared at him, widening my eyes slightly to that, realizing that it was much more serious before rolling my eyes when he resumed his usual ironic tone. 'I know. I know. It's me. And since he's wearing verveine, I couldn't erase that. "

At that, I widened my eyes in the slight panic. "No, no, Damon! I'm not Elena. It's over the strain on him. It's clear?''

Damon rolled his eyes before lifting my hand he held and twirled me before he made me meet his chest by closing his hand on my other hand, blocking me against him before he plunged his icy orbs bored and serious in my clean greyish. '' And if he persists to ask questions? ''

I was slightly disturbed by his intense gaze dive into mine and lost me for a moment in its shaded orbs.

The blue of his eyes was of such intensity. Whenever I looked through them, I felt like I was finally seeing a real part of him and strangely, I found myself at Damon's side. Felix's conversation resurfaced despite myself in my mind and I had to recognize without hesitation how much Damon Salvatore was sexy.

With a deep sigh, I let my forehead rest against his chest and let him lead me for a moment without a word.

I could not let Jeremy being compelled again.

After what had happened, I had to promise not to let that happen to him anymore. I was so sharing.

On the one hand, I did not want him in all that, but on the other, I knew it was inevitable. With the love-struck sister transit for Stefan and her platonic feelings for Damon, even if she did not want to recognize it. It was obvious that he could not escape it and that was even more certain if I was added to the equation. I decided to stick with Stefan no matter what, not to mention the fact that I was a kind of supernatural magnet.

''We can't hold him indefinitely out of the way.'' I murmured against his chest dressed in a designer black shirt.

"I'm not sure I heard you well, little Gilbert."Said Damon ironically, "I thought you said you wanted to put Baby Gilbert in the secret. Which is completely absurd. ''

"Damn everyone, Damon." I raised my head abruptly to look at him shamelessly.

Damon gauged me for a long time before narrowing his eyes at me. "How long have you been thinking of telling him? ''

I widened my eyes in surprise, really amazed that he could read me so easily before frowning, uncertain. I knew I wanted to tell him and thought about it several times but never managed to get the words out of my mouth.

"Several weeks now." I admitted, knowing there was no reason to lie.

"Why didn't you tell him yet?" Damon asked with an eyebrow arching knowingly and I stared hesitantly before swallowing and looked down at his hands still holding my grips against his broad chest.

I could feel his protruding muscles under the thin material of his shirt and did not miss the slight churn in the hollow of my stomach at that sensation.

I looked up to look at him and declared the only thing that prevented me from telling the truth to my twin. '' Stefan. ''

'' Of course, Saint Stefan! ''Breathed Damon with a roll of eyes suddenly bored and I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion. '' It's always my little brother. ''

I realized what he was insinuating and deepened my frown on the vampire. I was aware that Damon had always been jealous of Stefan because of Katherine and even about Elena, but I never thought that he could envy my friendship with his brother.

Then, thinking about it, it was completely absurd. Damon did not want a friend. He had made it clear to me. Still, I could not take away this idea that he might feel lonely and would like to be chosen for once.

"I'll fix that, okay?"I said, stopping our dance and looking up at Damon." I'm going to talk to Jeremy, but you have to promise to help Stefan. It doesn't matter, what he says, he's not good and even if you still feel this hatred towards him. Promise me to help him. "

 _ **Damon POV**_

To say that Damon was surprised by her request was a euphemism. It was not the kind of Mila to ask for help to save Saint Stefan from his blood frenzy.

She had proved it last time. Besides, she knew how he felt about his brother, but she was there yet, asking for help. Once again, a girl was giving everything to Stefan despite what he was.

"What makes you think that I would like to help him?" He questioned, coolly as he raised an eyebrow, questioning. "Maybe that's the real him. ''

"I repeat, Damon. I'm not Elena."I assured him once more, sending him a confident glance." I know this dark part is part of him, but he's not just a vampire. More we waiting to help him and more his return will be difficult for him. You, as me know he will not be able to bear it."

Damon could not hide his surprise at Mila's words as she seemed so sure and confident. She was aware of the vampire his brother was, but she seemed visibly still clinging to the idea of saving him.

He did not know if he should think she was suicidal or so, narrow-minded.

However, she did not really give him the opportunity to answer as she gave him a last look before turning back through the snobs of that evening and disappearing through the crowd, leaving Damon with a conflict of interest.

 _ **Mila POV**_

I did not really know why I asked Damon for help. I knew the vampire well enough to know that he was not the right person to call when it came to Stefan.

However, it was clear that I could not handle Stefan alone. I was only a human after all and I knew that Elena would only make things worse. She was already the reason for his condition.

I walked among the crowd in order to go outside and get some fresh air when my name was hailed off. I turned with a raised eyebrow, puzzled before leaving a smile on my lips at the sight of John approaching me.

"Mila. I see that I finally managed to convince you to come."He said with a satisfied smile and I could not help but roll my eyes.

Theoretically, it was Felix who had dragged me here but he seemed so proud of the tradition that I let it go.

"It would seem." I nodded. "So, what does it feel like to be back? ''

''It was time. This city needed my return."John answered, still pretentious before slightly frowning in the interest." Tell me, it was really Damon and Stefan Salvatore who you dance with?"

I made a double-grip at his question as he seemed to gauge me more carefully and I found myself swallowing in nervousness. I did not know why I felt like that but something in the way he had asked his question did not inspire me confidence.

"Hum ... yes. Why?" I asked, uncertain as I watched my uncle, suspicious.

"Aren't they a little old for you?" John asked in a sermon tone as he narrowed his gaze slightly to me in disapproval and I let out an inaudible sigh.

"Relax, Uncle John." I suggested with a small, clenched smile."They're just friends."

John raised an eyebrow, inquisitive making me more and more uncomfortable. "Really? I thought only Elena was involved with these two. ''

My suspicions were constantly confirmed about him and I did not know what to do to act as relaxed as possible. I did not want him to conclude that I finally knew their nature. If my parents were on the council it meant that they had a very clear idea about vampires and obviously, the effort my father had given me to teach me archery was not for nothing.

"Yeah ... uh ..." I stammered for a word loss and John narrowed his gaze at me suspiciously.

"I preferred if you stayed away from Salvatore." John declared his dry, authoritarian tone totally different from the way we had been there for some time.

I did not really know why I was holding my head as I frowned and replied with confidence."I think I can choose for myself the friends I want and don't see."

With that, I turned around hoping to escape this conversation as soon as possible but John grabbed my arm before I could take another step and made me turn around to look at me with a look severe.

'' I said, I preferred? In fact, it wasn't questionable, Mila. "John ordered coldly, making my eyes wide in disbelief and shock." Stay away from the Salvatore brothers. "

"Let me go!" I grimed slightly at his tight grip, but he did not do as he approached me, keeping his grip on my forearm.

"Mila, stay away from them, is it clear?" He insisted, raising his eyebrows, challenging me to contradict him.

"Uncle John, you're hurting me." I croaked feeling the pain in my forearm and sighed in relief as he told me but not without looking at me carefully as I rubbed my grip lifting my hateful eyes on him. '' Stefan is my friend and no matter what you say, I will continue to see him. ''

This time, I managed to get out without getting slowed by my uncle and quickly crossed the lobby to leave this party when my ear caught sobs and a voice too familiar from the halls opposite the exit.

I frowned in worry as I looked over my shoulder before turning around and started walking toward the noise.

The closer I got to the source of the noise, the more I could discern the person with tears, but that was not what worried me.

''Not too much, no. I ... I ruined everything. I always did it. Always without stop. I don't know why ... "I recognized Mrs. Donovan's voice before I accelerated when I heard a sudden silence." What are you doing? "

I just arrived at that moment to see Stefan crouching in front of Mrs. Donovan who had a bloody brow and watched the scene in horror as Stefan dipped his fingers in Kelly's blood in a sort of trance.

"Stefan!" I managed to get out despite my shock and he immediately withdrew, getting up suddenly to look at me between surprise and guilt.

"Mm ... I'm sorry. I ... "Stefan stammered in a panicked state for Mrs. Donovan's attention even though his gaze was on me before heading off like a fury.

I turned to pursue him, but Kelly gasped in confusion and I glanced at the woman before turning my attention to the exit door. I was still keen to follow Stefan's outburst and I knew I had to start after him.

With a last look at the woman, I started running as fast as I could and went out looking for Stefan instantly. My gaze finally caught the back of the vampire and I instantly filled the space that separated us before hailing his name in hesitation.

Only, it was too late.

When Stefan turned to me, he still had his fingers stained with blood between his lips and his black veins crawled dreadfully under his eyes as he sucked the blood in a frenzy.

"Oh my god, Stefan!" I gasped before taking a step back despite myself as Stefan pulled his fingers from his mouth with a guilty look and tried to approach me.

Stefan immediately frowned at my gesture before letting a painful expression run through his features. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest at the mere sight of him so and forced me forward with my hands outstretched as a sign of comfort.

"That's good, Stefan." I said, taking a step forward." It's good. It's okay, you're okay, Stefan. "

I was almost at his height when I spotted his gaze on my neck uncovered and could see his veins snaked his cheekbones again before his eyes inject blood into envy.

I made a halt with wide eyes in awe.

Then, he let out a grunt more animal than human before taking a step back and disappearing at the vampire speed right before my eyes.

"Stefan!" I called in panic before looking through the parking lot for any sign of the vampire.

I knew I had to find him before he did something he would regret.

I was immediately looking for my SUV and soon to get in when I found it. I drove straight to the house knowing that I needed to think of a way to get Stefan back under control but was greeted by a different view as I ran past Elena's room.

I raised a puzzled eyebrow still breathless from my run before entering my eldest sister's room and found Jeremy searching frantically through my sister's affairs. He was so busy with his research that he did not notice me staring at him with a confused expression.

''What are you doing, Jeremy?" I asked wearily and my twin turned to me in a jolt before quickly bridging the gap between us.

"I'm looking for Elena's diary."He replied, before going back to Elena's business in a bitter way.

I watched him a little longer knowing full well what he would find in her diary and doubted he already knew what he was looking for but just wanted confirmation. Finally, it was only a matter of time before he knew what we were hiding from him and we could do nothing to stop him.

With a deep sigh, I walked straight to the big picture above Elena's headboard and pulled the diary she was stupidly hiding just behind before turning to Jeremy and tending it to him. My twin measured me with a raised eyebrow, visibly confused about my resilience and my knowledge of her hiding place before finally taking it and turned around for his room.

I made my own way to my room with a distressed expression and gently pushed my door open, feeling helpless about the situations before making a halt with wide eyes at the sight of Stefan sitting on my bed. I reacted quickly and closed my door in a hurry before quickly reaching him.

"Stefan, are you okay?" I asked, worried about his collapsed expression.

"I did everything ... I did everything to resist tonight. And I arrived there. I got there but ..."He murmured frantically before climbing an octave." Unfortunately, Matt's mother got hurt in the fight. She was bleeding on the forehead and I touched her, and I saw a lot of blood on my fingers and there, ... "

I was getting closer to him knowing the crisis he was going through. "I know, Stefan. I know. But what happened next? "

"I got stuck ... you were talking to me but all I could hear was the pumping blood in your veins. It takes me the crazy desire to feed on you. I had to fight like mad to stop myself. "Said Stefan miserably and I knew I would have to back down in fear at that moment, but I was not going to make the same mistake.

Not this time.

It was horrible to hear that coming from him knowing that he was constantly in control and seeing him that way was just heartbreaking.

I wanted to do something. All to help but could not think of one way. I was helpless, and I hated it.

"But you didn't hurt me, Stefan." I reminded him trying to appease him.

''No. But if you knew how I felt like it. Mm ... It's a nightmare. "Stefan thundered, furious in his own internal battle." It's hammering into my skull and I've got the skin burning all over me like this was raw. "

"Stefan ..." I tried, bringing my hand to take his, but he shoved it away as if my touch had burned it.

"And that thirst for blood, this irrepressible thirst for blood, I had never felt, not once. Not once, do you hear? But what I want is to never hide anything from you. Why, I'm telling you?"Stefan rebuked on an almost hysterical rant as he looked down at me and I bit the inside of my cheek to stop me from crying at the sight of him as weak and vulnerable.

"That's good, Stefan. You know you can tell me everything. It doesn't matter what. I'll always be there. "I reassured myself in a pure impetus of honesty.

Stefan shook his head furiously at this, distressed. "Yes, but I am ashamed that you see me like that. I'm ashamed you know this facet of me exists. "

"I always knew that this facet of you existed, Stefan. It doesn't change anything. You stay the same for me."I retorted, trying to approach him again as he stared incredulously at me."I will help you. You'll get better. I promise you, Stefan ... ''

He was fleeing my touch again and there was a gust of wind as he crossed my room at the speed of vampire and stood in front of my door with a horrified expression."No. No ... Out of the question, no. Sorry. But it's no. I ... I'm too scared of what I could do to you. "

"Stefan, look at me!" I ordered gently as I got up from my bed and started walking in his direction."Look at me, Stefan!" He lifted his head to meet my worried gaze. "I will not abandon you. I will not leave you. "

I filled the rest of the gap that separated us and slowly brought my arms around him in precaution before getting closer and rest my head on his shoulder.

"I will not leave you."

I felt his arms close on me as he pulled me closer, my body tying to his as if we were one and I could feel how he clung to me like a lifeline.

I stroked his back reassuringly and readjusted my head on his shoulder as he breathed against my ear.

"Don't leave me, Mila." He whispered in desperate need and I tightened my embrace as tears streamed down the back of my eyes.

"Never, Stefan. Never.''


	19. Chapter 19 : Stronger

**Chapter Nineteen : Stronger**

After what happened with Stefan, I was now much more aware of the nature of the vampires and no longer made any illusions. I had always known that Stefan had a dark part from his past but now that I had seen it with my own eyes, it seemed to be much more real. Much more dangerous.

However, it did not do anything to keep me away.

See Stefan in this state had been as if we had spent something in our friendship, a kind of cape. The promise we made was more than just words and I felt like I was closer to the vampire than ever before.

Of course, Stefan was not out yet, but he was going to get better. I would make sure of that.

I was surprised to run down the stairs with a smile on my lips and walk in the kitchen in a relaxed way until I saw John making coffee. I instantly lost my smile, remembering our last conversation and cautiously walked to the closet to pull a thermos before I went without a word to the coffee machine. I was going to take my coffee to go this morning and go as far from Uncle John as possible.

"Uncle John!" I greeted him politely as I waited patiently for my turn.

John poured himself a cup of steaming coffee before turning to me, blocking me. "Mila. I think we should discuss. ''

'' I'm not very fond of talking before my morning coffee, so ... '' I said, motioning for him to shift and he reluctantly took a step aside. '' Besides, I'm already late.''

I poured the hot liquid in my thermos with caution and attention to avoid paying attention to John and quickly closed the lid before turning to see Jenna sitting around the island with a bad smile.

"Jenna." I smiled with a real smile this time before making my way outside the kitchen for the door. "See you later! ''

I quickly slipped on my leather jacket before taking my car keys and could hear Jenna's joke to Uncle John that he had managed to get past the last Gilbert who liked him and shook my head with a frown as I closed the door behind me.

I was not happy about this tension either.

Uncle John was someone who mattered a lot to me and it weighed on me. Only he wanted me to get away from Stefan and we had already clarified this fact. I would never go far away from Stefan. Intentionally at least and I tended to believe that Stefan felt the same. We were close and that was probably impossible to destroy.

I parked in the parking lot with this last thought and went down quickly when I noticed a red-colored collector's car.

A 1963 Porsche 356 B Coupe Karmann.

I could recognize this car anywhere. Stefan showed it to me at the beginning of our friendship and I literally fell in love with the car.

Only it did not work at the time anymore.

I just could not believe he had managed to work her again.

While throwing my bag over my shoulder, I walked with a determined step towards the vampire who stood in front of his open trunk and posted me behind him in the hope of making him a fright.

"You finally managed to make it work!" I exclaimed, raising the tone of an octave to frighten him and to my surprise it worked more than well since Stefan almost jumped to the sky and snapped his trunk shut before turning to me as I hid my laugh against my hand. '' Whoa! I never thought I could surprise you. "

"Mila!" Recognized Stefan seeming tense for some reason and I lost my smile to gauge him with a raised, inquisitive eyebrow.

"Are you all right?" I asked suspiciously and slightly worried about the vampire.

Stefan swallowed nervously before picking up a casual expression and gave me a radiant smile. "Better than that, Mila. I'm finally happy to be able to enjoy the high school benches again and walk to the sunset with my best friend who dedicates her life to surprise me."

''Whoa! Does she look great? "I commented, copying his smile with a playful wink before nudging him." C'mon, c'mon. We're going to be late.''

It turned out that our first class was history with Alaric. I passed the class door next to Stefan and he went to sit not far from Elena who gave him a stern smile making me want to vomit in the morning while I settled on the other side of the vampire before to turn my attention to Alaric, who began his lesson.

"Hi everyone." Ric said, sitting down on his desk as I made myself more comfortable in my chair. "Well, this week, we're going to put the curriculum aside and focus on our story local and on the day of the Founders. It seems that our Mayor is estimated that the war of 40 is less important."There was a collective laughter at this and I could not help but join them but for the real reasons. It was obvious that Alaric did not really like the mayor. '' But who am I for the ... ''

His diatribe was shortened when Bonnie clumsily entered the classroom.

"Sorry, sir." Bonnie politely excused herself before walking to get a seat under Elena's eye-catching eyes who were trying in vain to get her attention just like Stefan.

With the latest events, I totally forgot about Bonnie's return. We had had a lot more meetings since then and the brunette had informed me of her return, but it was completely out of my mind.

"It looks like we are full today. Welcome home Bonnie.'' Recognized Alaric with a smile to the witch before picking up where he left off.''Good. The day of the Founders, therefore. What exactly is it? Hum! Well ! If you want to take the time to take a look at this lovely picture, I spent the whole night drawing ... ''

The lesson passed rather quickly, and Felix was already waiting for me at my locker when I walked to him.

"Hello my friend!" I greeted as I opened the door of my locker to exchange my books. "You ditch me at the party."

I looked at Felix to see him barely listening and frowned before slamming loudly the door of my locker to get him out of his reverie.

He staggered out of his stupor before narrowing his eyes at me. "Did you have to do that?"

'' Whoa! It looks like someone is in a bad mood today."I said with a smirk, but Felix kept frowning at me." Ok, what's going on? "

'' Nothing. I don't really want to talk about it. "Groaned Felix already turned around and I had to hurry to catch up with him.

I put my hand on his shoulder but took a step back when he pushed me back abruptly before widening his eyes in shock at his own gesture."I-I ... I'm sorry, Mila. I don't feel very well. I should go there. See you later.''

I did not even have time to recover from my surprise that he had already run through the doors of the school, leaving me alone in the middle of the hallway. I frowned at the now empty place, not really understanding what was going on with him before I started again.

I pushed the swinging doors just to take a break when I fell nose to nose with the shock trio.

"Mila! "Hugs Caroline, my sister's attention on me as she went back and forth between the blonde and me in confusion as Bonnie smiled me friendly."I was just telling Bonnie that I needed personal stylists for my Miss Mystic Falls dress selection and since Bonnie and you became very close, I thought we could go together. "

I stared at her just as Bonnie was watching Elena in apprehension and nervousness and I could see the real shock of surprise on my older sister's face.

"Yeah ... uh ... close wouldn't be the word that I would use." I tried to catch up, my voice pitching in an octave high and I turned my attention to Bonnie swallowing. "Not true, Bonnie? ''

Only, the brunette did not even have the time to answer as Caroline instantly flinched at it and went on quickly. ''You kidding? Every time I called Bonnie, you always was at her home.''

I swallowed my saliva in nervousness as I turned my attention to Elena and could see the betrayal on her face as she was flagrant to Bonnie and me while Caroline widened her eyes bringing her hand to her mouth and let a breath escape her like she realized her mistake.'' Oh!''

''Hm!" I'm clumsily scrubbing my throat, catching the attention." Yeah ... uh ... anyway, I don't really get interested in this Miss Mystic Falls thing so ... I'm going to skipped on the trip of shopping, Caroline. "

"Ok." Caroline agreed with a sincerely disappointed pout and I gave her a weak smile before turning my attention back to Elena and Bonnie.

"I'm going to class, so ... see you later."

I made a quick exit and headed back to my next class.

* * *

The day had been fast, and I was now lying on my bed trying to get a hold of Felix on his phone, to no avail.

I sighed heavily, rejecting my phone on my bed with a bounce before frowning on my quilt. I did not know what was wrong with him, but something was not right, it was obvious.

It seemed out of character for Felix to ignore me and more, to act aggressive.

I nibbled nervously on my thumb before straightening up and gathering my hair in a messy bun on top of my skull as I walked outside my room and went down the stairs in thought.

I was really wondering what could have caused Felix to react that way.

I was seriously starting to think about getting friends a lot easier to understand. They were just so fucking enigmatic and had the gift of torturing my mind.

I entered the kitchen just when Elena was saying I love you, probably to Stefan and hung up her phone with a bottle of water in her hand before crossing my eyes.

I walked decently to the refrigerator even though inside I knew that I would soon have to face Elena and already doubted her excessive reaction.

I opened the fridge door and quickly grabbed a jar of vanilla ice cream from Madagascar and a salted butter caramel coulis. I closed the door behind me and pulled the drawer to get a spoon and it was all that Elena could take as she turned to me in irritation.

"Are you going to tell me what you're doing with Bonnie?" She snapped.

My response was immediate as I shrugged casually as I pulled the lid off my ice cream. '' No.''

It was a part of our deal.

I helped her to practice magic and in exchange, she kept quiet about our activities. I did not want to be accountable, let alone to Elena. I did what it seemed right to me and acted out of my own free will. That was all there was to know.

'' How's that, no?"Offended Elena, slightly widening her eyes in shock.

"Mm ..."I sighed, rolling my eyes, "No, Elena. I have to say it in what language? No, nein!''

What? I chose German on Spanish. I liked to stand out.

"Why she's speaking to you?" Elena barked in pure jealousy as she narrowed her eyes to me."You're friends with Stefan."

"Here we are." I said, rolling my eyes and lazily licking my spoon of ice cream. "I don't know. Maybe because I made my attentions clear and she knows that I would never put her in a situation where she will have to choose. "

Elena's eyes widened, offended. That's the overreaction. "What it's supposed to mean?"

''Well, translation! '' I was getting more and more annoyed by this conversation. '' Bonnie and I are not friends but in mutual agreement where she knows I will always take Stefan's side but respect her nature and will never come in her way. ''

'' Mutual agreement? In her way?"Repeated Elena with a frown more and more confused as I explained my relationship with Bonnie, rolling my eyes.

I replanted my spoon in my ice cream as I took off from the island I had leaned on. "It doesn't matter. I'm going to my bedroom. Good luck for the competition.''

I passed Elena without a look and crossed the long hallway to the stairs before going up to my room and finished my ice cream while continuing to worry about Felix.

* * *

It was becoming stranger, Felix had not come to class this morning and I was alone for the day. I had tried to call him, but he had ignored all my calls and had just sent me a message to tell me he was sick and would be away for a few days.

Now, I had a free time since some of the girls were requisitioned to learn the stupid dance of this damn contest and Stefan being Elena's boyfriend was also roped, leaving me alone. I sat on the floor at the feet of the lockers and put my head on the metal block before pulling out my storybooks. Alaric did not lie when he said that he would give me some tests to make up for my days off and I still had work. I was immersed in my account of Mystic Falls in the 1800s when I heard footsteps coming in my direction. Having heard more movement than I could hear since sitting here, I did not pay attention to the student and kept my eyes focused on my book.

Only it was until I heard my name being hailed in a hesitant way. '' Mila? ''

I unfolded my eyes from my writing to raise an eyebrow, perplexed at the sight of Tyler Lockwood in front of me, who gauged me awkwardly readjusting his bag slung over his shoulder. I allowed myself a look around us in confusion thinking that maybe he was talking to someone else but found that we were the only ones in the hallway.

''Um yes? "I answered uncertainly as Tyler acting strangely.

There was a long awkward silence between us as I looked around but at him and tried in vain, to act as relaxed as possible even though I did not really understand what had taken him. He and I never really talked. I knew his reputation and not to mention that he had been a real jerk with my twin.

I was all the more confused when he shifted from one foot to the other before joining me on the floor and gave me a look aside, uncertain.

"Are 't you supposed to be part of the contest?" He asked suddenly, frowning at me in puzzlement.

"It's not really my grade." I replied sarcastically, turning my attention to my notebook to avoid his curious gaze. "I'm too young. Thank God.''

'' Oh! That's right."Tyler puffed, widening his eyes slightly in realization before rubbing his neck nervously.

Ok, so that was out of character. I did not know him, but he had always been confident and self-confident.

He was not uncertain or nervous.

"Ok, what do you want, Tyler?"I snapped, unable to take this tension any longer and Tyler gauged me really surprised before sighing.

"You're the only one who doesn't give me a black eye when you see me and you seem lonely, then." Tyler concluded, nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders as I glared at him with boredom.

What was their problem and the fact that I'm alone? This was not a problem before so why now, it's so unusual for me to be alone.

"And so you thought you would come and keep me company like a good Samaritan." I broke in coldly, not hiding my irritation.

I did not need anyone to take care of me, let alone Tyler Lockwood. I did not really understand his sudden urge to speak when he had spent most of his life ignoring me. Not that it posed any problem to me. I loved being ignored and left by myself.

'' Whoa, whoa."Exclaimed Tyler, raising his hands in surrender." I was just trying to make the conversation here. "

I narrowed my eyes at the athletic tall brown in suspicion, "Why?"

"Well, you were all alone, so I thought I could come talk to you. I mean, you're alone all the time when you're not with that clown then ..."Tyler replied pretentiously with an arrogant smile and I stared into disbelief before I started to hit him with all my strength in the arm.

''This clown? '' I shouted furiously as I continued to hit him. '' Get out! Get out of here right now or I swear you'll regret it, asshole! "

Tyler's eyes widened in shock at my attack and was trying to avoid my punches in his arm as he stood up abruptly.

''No, but you're completely crazy. Freak!'' He spat in exasperation, holding his arm before storming off and I could hear his insult under his breath, causing me to send him a lightening glow on his back fleeing.

After my free time, I was not really in the mood to get through the rest of the day. I only had a German language course as well as advanced biology and I was ahead of those two subjects, so I decided to go back home.

I parked my SUV in the driveway and was relieved to see that Jenna's car was not there. On the other hand, John's was parked in the driveway and I began to regret having skip the class. I got off my SUV despite that and made my way inside the house just to be greeted by John and his disapproving look.

"You skipping classes now? "He asked in a kind of parental figure that did not look like him and I rolled my eyes grumbling under my breath.

''I'm ahead. I don't need to attend. '' I explained even though I did not really have to justify myself and went beyond it.

I was halfway up the stairs when John made me stop in my tracks. "Well, that will allow us to talk about your vampire friends."

''Vampire?" I glanced at John over my shoulder, trying to act as incredulous as I could, but John just stared at me, impassive.

''Don't reduce yourself to that kind of thing, Mila. You're smarter than that. You, like me, know the truth."Confided John condescended, crossing his arms over his chest as I turned and squinted at him.

"Good." I declared coldly, knowing that there was no longer any need to deny the obvious."What do you want to talk about in this case? ''

"Don't try to be smarter on this one. I know more than you, Mila.'' Warned John categorically pretentiously as I made my way back to him.

''What do you want?"I asked, suspicious.

I rolled my eyes in boredom as John ignored my question and walked into the living room, forcing me to follow him. "What I've always wanted for you." He turned to me with a serious expression. ''Protect you by finally ridding this city of vampires and that's also included the Salvatore brothers. ''

"In that case, I think we're going to have a problem." I informed him coldly, crossing my arms over my chest in the defense.

John gauged me for a moment in heavy silence as if he were looking for a way to rally to his cause. "Your father would be so disappointed if they knew what you and Elena did."

His statement hit me like a ton of brick and I felt my breath being cut off from me. I looked at John open-mouthed and tried to keep my tears down. I jabbed my jaw clenching my fists so as not to give him the satisfaction of showing how much this statement had reached me.

"You don't have the right to say that." I murmured at first unable to speak out loud for the moment before letting my anger and rage speak for me."You have not the right to bring out that! He's dead, okay and he can't look at my life anymore because he's dead, do you hear me? ''

I did not stay longer in his presence and rushed through the stairs before slamming the door of my room and locking the locks in a fit of rage. My breathing was heavy, and my fists hurt so much I tightened them but I did not care. I just could not believe he'd dared to make me feel guilty like that by bringing my father back into the conversation. It was a low blow and he knew it.

My phone singing, catching my attention for a moment and I rushed furiously to find that I had a message.

 _ **Damon: I think it's time to reform the team! We have a problem!**_

I rolled my eyes, feeling the tears stung behind my eyes, and sniffed contemptuously, throwing my phone back on my bed. I was in no mood to listen to his bullshit and I just wanted to be left alone for the moment.

I unzipped my leather jacket, feeling suddenly oppressed and started my combat boots before burying myself in the safety of my lilac blanket. I hugged it around my neck and closed my eyes to remove the pain I felt, John's words burning in my mind when my phone buzzed again but this time it was a call. I grabbed my phone in rage and brought it to my ear.

"I'm not in the mood, Damon! Leave me alone!"I exploded in the phone before hanging up and turning off my phone.

I put my hand under my pillow tightening the quilt around me and inhaled slowly to prevent me from cracking.

Expired. Inspired. Expired. Inspired.

''Well it's was rude. '' My eyes closed in exasperation and I didn't move an inch in the hope that he would go away but it was relying on his unwavering ability to bored me. There was some footstep coming towards me until they stopped, and I could feel his shape hovering over me. '' Mila? Are you still alive there? ''

''Go away, Damon!'' I broke, coming out like a whisper under my comforter and soon, I felt my cocoon take away from me, making me sigh with annoyance as I kept my eyes closed.

 _ **POV Damon  
**_

Damon looked at Mila with an arched eyebrow in confusion. She was still wearing her clothes, which consisted simply of a tank top with a black hoodie over it and black jeans.

The usual dress code of the little brunette but it was not what it was. She was curled up in a fetal position and he could see small streaks along her cheeks, indicating that she had been crying. She kept her eyes closed and her jaw was checked. He had heard her cracking voice when she answered but he had thought it was because she was bothered by his call now, he understood that was because she was upset.

Now, Damon did not really understand why the sight of Mila so upset bothered him but it was still real.

It was not what he was.

He did not care for a frail little human.

He tore, fed on the little humans and if they were lucky, let them live so he could start again later.

That was what he was. Not by choice but he had learned to live with and even enjoy it. By the way, that was what he originally planned for the youngest Gilbert, but the result was that he did not even taste her.

Not that she would not be particularly tasty.

On the contrary, she had a more than sweet scent and if he was honest, she was even more delicious than Elena, which left him wondering how Stefan did to stay in her presence without cracking. But that was not the subject. Mila was upset, and it bothered him.

"You cried." Damon said evidence and Mila snorted disdainfully.

''No shit Sherlock.'' Broke the little brunette, keeping her eyes closed and Damon did not like that.

Mila was already a small complex human and her eyes were the only indicators of her emotions. He could not understand what was upsetting her if she kept her eyes shut. She wasn't one to act so vulnerable and emotional in his presence, which only increased his confusion and frustration. He wanted to know what had happened to her. He wanted to make her talk for him.

Only he knew he could not force her using his usual asshole act and he did not want to.

So he knelt and looked at her porcelain face. "Mila, look at me."

"No!" Mila replied in a childish manner before covering herself with her duvet making Damon, rolling his eyes in boredom.

"Mila, don't make me ask a second time." Damon warns, gritting his teeth to try to be as patient as possible, but young Gilbert used to grow on his nerves.

There was a short silence before he heard her sigh of resilience, pulling him a smirk as she pulled the comforter away, staring at him with baby blue eyes, bored."So, happy?"

Damon looked at her almost gray bluish orbs and could read the sadness she held in them.

"No, but it's a start." Damon retorted with a small smirk before replacing it with a frown, anxious. "What happened?''

"Stop pretending to worry and just tell me what you came for." Groaned Mila coldly, deepening Damon's frown in boredom.

She did not trust him, and she was right. He was dangerous and did not care but for once, he was sincere.

He wanted to know what had gotten her so upset.

Damon sighed, giving a critical eye to the brunette before straightening up."Move!"

"Excuse me?" Mila exclaimed, widening her eyes incredulously, gathering a roll of annoyed Damon's eyes.

"Just do what I tell you for once." Damon became impatient with the little human before squinting at her when she made no movement."Mila."

"Fine, fine!" Mila exploded, straightening up in a good exasperated manner before shifting to the other side of her bed.

Damon took off his biker boots under Mila's scrutinizing and disapproving eyes and settled on the side she occupied earlier before covering himself with the duvet. He leaned against the headboard with one arm behind his head and glanced at the brunette to see that she was giving him a cold glow.

"Don't give me that look. You know you like to have me in your bed."Damon said arrogantly, raising his suggestive eyebrows and Mila sat up abruptly.

"I said Fine." She snapped, tapping at his broad chest, making him smirk. "I've finished listening to you. Get out of my bed. Before I scream!''

Damon rolled his eyes at her dramatic look before moving his arm around ignoring her protests and brought her closer to him.

He was surprised with the ease with which they interlocked and could not help smiling victorious when Mila gave in and rested her head against his dead heart.

 _ **Mila POV  
**_

I did not really understand what was really happening. I was initially more than annoyed by Damon's touchdown but now that I was resting against his athletic chest, I could not help but feel safe. Which was completely stupid when you knew who I was with.

I got a little closer despite myself and clung to his gray Henley T-shirt and was slightly surprised by the steady sound of his heartbeat. I already knew they had a pounding heart, but it was stranger to hear from Damon than it was from Stefan. It made him a little more human, so to speak.

However, that was not what surprised me the most.

The fact is, that Damon Salvatore, the unpredictable and maniacal vampire was stroking my hair in a soothing gesture to comfort me. It was obvious that he was not really used to this kind of thing and the girls were crying but he was making an effort and I had to admit that it caused some kind of electricity in my chest.

I could feel my sullen mood and my tears become a distant memory and I recognized that it was partly thanks to Damon.

I clumsily cleared my throat, keeping my eyes on my hand unconsciously tracing shapes on his chest and whispered."Thank you."

Damon was not used to receiving thanks and he looked down at little Gilbert's skull and could not stop the smug smile on his lips. "I told you that you'd like to have me in your bed." Damon assured with a smirk that made me snap his chest with a bored look even though I could not help the small smirk to betray my amusement. "So, what got you so much mood in the socks? ''

My smile instantly faded from his question and a slight frown marred my face as I kept my eyes away from Damon at the thought of what John had said. I did not really want to talk about it and especially not to Damon.

Stefan knew how I felt about my parents, but Damon was completely different. I never knew how to act with him, and I doubted that the problems of teenagers struggling to cope with the death of her parents would interest him.

"Hm!" I cleared my throat as I looked up to look at Damon in the hope of changing the conversation. "That's not important. So why are you here? I doubt that you came specially to get into my bed. "

'' Oh, think again! That's all the real purpose of my existence, Mila."Damon objected with a shrug of suggestive eyebrows and a teasing smile as he lowered his hand on my loins, gathering my annoyed look.

I pulled his hand up to put it away from my back deck and broke a cold stare on the vampire."Damon, what did you want to tell me? ''

"You will end to give in, Mila. They all end up giving in."Damon said pretentiously making me roll my eyes at his oversized ego.

''Oh yes, because you are: Oh, so irresistible, Damon! '' I mocked sarcastically.''That teenager wouldn't want to succumb to hot sex with a vampire. ''

"Mila Gilbert, are you talking dirty to me?" Damon exclaimed, widening his eyes falsely, feigning a shocked look, and I could not help but laugh at the sight of Damon and his imitation of an owl.

However, I felt the heat in my cheeks flowing and I was hiding in his T-shirt to avoid the embarrassment of the situation. I did not really filter my thoughts into my mockery and now realized what I had said.

''You're impossible. ''

''Oh really?" Asked Damon with a frown before continuing with a teasing smile in the corner as he pretended to move."In that case, I'll leave."

I did not know why I was holding him next but my objection had left my lips without me even twisting my tongue twice in my mouth before speaking.

''No wait !"I was clinging desperately to his T-shirt to keep him from leaving, surprising me myself before feeling embarrassed to win me again and whispered against his T-shirt." That's nice."

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon looked at the brunette against him with a look of real surprise before allowing a sincere smile to cross his features and made himself more comfortable by readjusting his head on her pillows and was immediately assaulted by the sweet smell of almond of Mila. He gazed at the brunette's peaceful face and could not help but think.

Indeed, it was nice!

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

I groaned in exasperation, probably listening for the tenth time to the same annoying voicemail from Felix and threw my phone back on my bed before pinching the bridge of my nose.

I was officially worried.

He had promised to accompany me to this silly contest since I had to attend to "support" Elena and could not believe he had bailed me out.

We always attended these parties together. It was like a kind of friendship code between us. He was my right arm and made these parties a little more bearable but for some reason he had decided to leave me on the side this time and it did not look like him.

With his strange behavior of the last time and the days of absence since, I was not reassured. I knew that Jeremy was there too, but after he had read Elena's diary, I did not really know where he was with me. We had not spoken again since then and I knew that I did not really have a hurry to face him, especially right now. It would only add a disaster to my life already complicate.

I unrolled the towel that held my hair wet before letting it run down my back and headed for my dresser. Aunt Jenna had asked me to make an effort for the reception, but I was not one of this damn elitist contests and I certainly would not force myself to wear something so-called presentable to please people.

I decided to go with the current since today seemed like a sunny day and pulled out quilted leather pants as well as a ripped tank top and a black suit jacket with leather edges. I quickly swapped my pajamas for my outfit before putting on a pair of flat biker boots. I knew I was supposed to go to this damn contest, but Felix was more important, and I was going to get some answers.

I was quickly making my bed thinking about Damon despite myself and could not remove the spreading smile on my lips. I had finally fallen asleep against him, which was more abnormally weird and had been awakened by a draft to find he had left.

Even though this situation was weird, I could not deny that I enjoyed spending time with the vampire. I supposed it was in times like that that I called Damon my friend.

I made my way to my car keys in the pocket of my leather jacket sitting on my desk chair back and made my way outside my room and down the stairs just to raise an eyebrow, surprised at the sight of Alaric in our lobby dressed in a dashing suit and wearing the cover containing Elena's dress.

''Whoa.'' I exclaimed with a small smile as I joined him. '' Have you been caught up in all this? ''

"Well, yes."Rick replied with a friendly smile and I could not help but copy his smile.

"I'm seriously starting to think you have the knack for finding yourself in these situations." I mocked playfully as Elena made her comeback, not without giving me a dirty look.

Well, she was still pissed off at me for Bonnie. God, this girl knew how to hold a grudge finally.

"It's really cool to come with us." Elena thanked again gratefully, making me look up at the ceilling.

''You're welcome.'' Alaric answered before we stare visibly hesitantly, frowning at me, worried as Elena seemed to barely notice. '' So, how's ... How's Stefan? ''

"Well." Elena agreed hastily, obviously showing that she was using a defense mechanism, and I remembered that I had barely seen the vampire in recent days, which was not normal. "He's fine. Why?''

I scowled at my sister with a suspicious look, noticing her agitated facial expressions and that was all I needed to see something wrong.

"Oh!" Alaric whispered, barely believing Elena's face as he turned to me with a slightly worried look."He seem stressed to me."

Obviously, Alaric had more times in my judgment than that of Elena on the question and I knew instantly that it was not good.

Looking back, Stefan seemed far too euphoric the last time I saw him. Almost worried.

I did not like it and Damon's impromptu visit only influenced my thoughts. And if he wanted to tell me about Stefan but he had to give up.

Why did not he tell me in this case?

I deserved to know, I promised Stefan never to abandon him and if Damon had kept information from me, I was going to impale him.

When I just thought we had found common ground, he had to fool everything up. I just could not believe that I had been so stupid to get me started again.

''Ah! He shook it all. He had a bit of trouble."Elena explained, obviously trying to hide her face but only increased my irritation as I looked at Alaric in exasperation." Only that's it, he got back into his hands now.''

He had not taken it in hand and this idiot was certainly going to hear me to tell me damn fool. I stomped into the kitchen, tired of having to hear this hogwash and crossed John on my way with a slightly guilty expression.

I ignored him intentionally and continued my way to simply stop at the sight of Jeremy leaning against the islet, dressed in a suit. He looked stylish and I did not think my twin still barely emo a few months ago, could stand out as well in a suit.

A tense silence settled between us as I passed his foamy brown orbs reminding me of a little puppy and swallowing, understanding his unspoken questions.

It was obvious that he knew everything now and he had a lot of questions, but I guessed that the main ones were why we hid him? And how could we do that to him?

I could read the resentment as well as the reproaches but also the disappointment.

It was probably the most difficult thing to see through my twin's eyes, but I kept an impassive face. I heard the perky voice of Jenna who joined the small group and decided to use that to my advantage.

"Jenna looks ready. We should go there."I suggested, nodding over my shoulder to justify my point, and Jeremy rose silently before passing me without even glancing at me.

That was what hurt me the most.

If I hated being noticed by anyone, I could not stand being ignored by my twin. He was one of the only people I wanted to be recognized.  
I followed behind him to hear the end of Jenna's sentence as she spoke to Uncle John,"Jeremy and Mila will go with you."

''In fact, I may be late for the contest.'' I took a disapproving look at my whole family, but I just ignored them.'' I have to go to Felix's place so don't wait on me."

I was already making my way to the door when Jenna shouted at me. "Huh! Huh! Not so fast, Mila. You're not going anywhere.''

I turned around incredulously and met Jenna's categorical gaze and Alaric's uncomfortable gaze as Elena scanned me with a smirk and John watched me suspiciously. Jeremy was the only one who did not look at me as he was already too busy being flagrant about our sister.

"Don't think you'll escape this contest." Jenna said, narrowing her eyes at me. "By the way, you're going to come up with us so I'm sure you don't skip the thing altogether."

"Seriously, Jenna? "I cried, widening my eyes, agnostic.

Finally, Jenna had the last word and I had to endure a car trip that was exasperating. I could not believe she dared treat me like a five-year-old when Elena made the wrong choices most of the time.

* * *

I had deserted the moment we arrived at the town hall where the contest was happening, and Jenna had gone with Elena to help her get ready. I was strolling through the guests now, trying at best to avoid Jeremy just like Uncle John.

These festivities were really going to be the death of me.

I really did not know how I would have to endure another month. Especially if Felix let me go.

Once again, the boy was busy with my thoughts and I could not help but worry about him.

In fact, to be honest, I had not stopped worrying myself in the last few months and I was beginning to think that I would end up having a frown plaster for life on my forehead.

"Once again, you were able to stand out in your nonconformist style." Damon's mocking voice popped in, and I would be irritated as I continued my way without even glancing at him.

He had lied to me about Stefan's situation and had simply ignored my pleading to help his brother. I felt stupid for thinking that it might be something for him.

I felt his grip on my forearm, forcing me to turn around and crossed his frown as I look at him. "Hey! Not that I don't like this little game of cat and mouse, but I can know what your problem? "

"Leave me alone, Damon!" I ordered dryly, eyeing his hand holding me before looking up at him with contempt that only deepened his frown.

''Um, what about no?"Objected Damon, categorical." Not until I know what you have. I thought we were cool. "

''Cool?"I cried out indignantly, rejecting Damon's touch before saying darkly."We're far from cool, Damon. "

I turned to continue my way away from the vampire, but he stood in front in a flash and blocked the way with a mixed look between trouble and confusion.

''Okay, so you're obviously in a bad mood."Damon commented, his tone emphasizing his boredom and only increasing my exasperation about the vampire." Care to share? "

"Why didn't you tell me Stefan was still drinking human blood?" I exploded in an exacerbated murmur, glaring at him, and I could see the surprise on Damon's face before he frowned, dark.

Of course, everything ended up referring to St. Stefan. The Gilbert girls could never help but worry about him.

"Who told you?" Damon asked, annoyed.

''I know it. That's all."I retorted with contempt as I narrowed my eyes at him in reproach before lowering my tone when I noticed that our argument was getting attention." It's not thanks to you, any case.''

"Don't take my gestures for kindness, Mila." Damon coldly said as he approached me, threatening, haughtily."If you know and you're still live, it's only because that I want it. Never forget that.''

I scoffed at that with disdain."Believe me, I'm not about to forget it. You made it perfectly clear how I was nothing against you."

I thought I saw a guilt rush on his face at my words, but I did not stay any longer to hear him tell me how insignificant of a little human I was to him.

I rushed outside and spotted Jenna and Alaric near the bar. I joined them in stride, returning a worried look from Alaric while Jenna raised an eyebrow, questioning my expression exasperate.

"I hate those stupid festivities!" I snarled, crossing my arms over my chest, avoiding their inquisitive glances.

I watched all the guests converse in-between with their smiles and laughter exacerbating when my eyes caught Jeremy talking to a medium-sized girl and long, curly black-haired hair pulled up in a worked half-chignon.

Eventually, the contest began, and the couples started flocking into the garden, preparing to perform the traditional dance of this bloody contest. I had not seen Stefan yet and it only increased my bad mood.

Then Elena's name was called, and I almost looked forward to seeing Stefan by her side but was even more exasperated and confused when I saw Damon on her arm.

And obviously, I was not the only one because Jenna leaned over Alaric. 'What is she doing at Damon's arms?'

Alaric looked surprised and worried about me expectantly, but I just shrugged but my frown, worried betrayed my concern. '' I have no ideas. ''

I could not believe I had wanted to believe that Damon cared for even a little of his brother. All that mattered was getting Elena because he had not managed to get Katherine. He was pathetic.

"What's going on, Mila?" Alaric asked, leaning over me in a worried whisper.

I kept my eyes on Damon and Elena as they settled down after the other couples. "Damon is a selfish ass. I will not stay here watching this. "

With that, I was making my way away from the garden under Alaric's panicked and worried look as well as the annoyed and worried vampire's glare. If no one was going to help Stefan or even worry about where he might have gone, then I was going to fend for myself again and go out alone to find him.

I had surveyed the entire top floor in search of the vampire and had seen no sign of him.

Only, I knew that the situation was serious because I had found a broken mirror in one of the bathrooms on the first floor and blood and obviously, it was missing a finalist of the contest. It did nothing to fix my anxiety and I decided to expand my research.

I was crossing the reception hall at full speed when I was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Mila, what's wrong? Where's Stefan? "

I turned to meet Bonnie's suspicious look. "That's exactly what I want to know."

'' Hold on!" Bonnie stopped me again as she grabbed my arm this time to stop me from leaving. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, Bonnie, but it's a vampire business that doesn't concern you." I was annoyed by the people who had the gift of keeping me when I needed to be left alone.

I could see Bonnie's expression of surprise and shock as well as vexing her and picking that moment out of her grasp before quickly poking my way out to the parking lot. I instantly tightened my jacket against me at the gloomy look that the woods returned and took a deep breath before hitting the steps. I was pacing the parking lot looking for Stefan when I heard voices further.

I immediately started running towards the voices, grateful for sticking with myself and wearing flat boots before stopping me in my tracks when I spotted Stefan pacing in the panic in front of a blonde girl wearing an evening dress and held her neck bloody.

I stared at the sight before I cautiously approached the vampire.'' Stefan! ''

The vampire suddenly turned to his name and widened his eyes at my sight.

"Mila!" He whispered in a guilty expression and tortured before continuing to stimulate."You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't be here. You must go. ''

"No, Stefan." I said as I continued to walk towards him."I must be here." I took a step closer to joining the blonde girl barely frightened and doubted that I could be at this stage.

"She's under my compulsion."

"It's okay, go." I reassured her before turning to the vampire in distress. "Stefan, you have to let her go."

The vampire instantly shook his head in negation and pain."I can't. It's too hard. I can't do it, Mila. "

I could hear my heart pounding miles away at Stefan's sight like this and had to do everything to brave my fear and approach him. He seemed totally different. Dreadful and above all, deadly.

"You can do it." I intimated confidently."I trust you, Stefan. Just leave her, let her go."

Stefan looked up as he gauged the frightened girl and then looked back painfully and stared at me before looking at the blonde again with a tortured expression.

It was as if he was physically and mentally in pain. He was unable to control himself. He looked like an addict with a lack of heroin. I thought I managed to make a point in his mind, but he started to stimulate like crazy.

'' Oh, no, no, no, no, no. "Ranted Stefan, maniacal and suddenly approached me at the speed of vampire, making me take one step back in fear despite myself." I can't hold myself back. I'm can't."He filled the space between us again and took my face between his hands to look me in the eyes and shout." But why are not you afraid of me, huh! "

I was sure that my chest was going to explode but I still brought my hands on his, tending the vampire a bit more as he seemed to resist the urge to plant his fangs in my jugular and swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dried.

"Because I believe in you." I replied as sincerely and confidently as I could be in this situation. "I believe in you, Stefan. You'll be fine. We will find a way. I will never leave you. Do you remember?"I could see the vampire staring at me with a miserable and mortifying expression as he tried not to kill me as best, he could, and I pleaded for him." Release her. Please. Let her go.''

Stefan took his eyes off mine to gauge in the storm the blonde who did not move an inch despite our conversation and swallowed by removing his hands from my face before making his way to the girl and plunged his green orbs foresters in her eyes.

"Now, I want you to be a frightful fear of me. That you're running away from me, it was going on with your life."Stefan hypnotized, making me shudder at his scary look." You understand what I'm saying. Go ahead! Run! Run! ''

The girl did not take a moment to run away and Stefan turned to me with a miserably terrifying expression. He approached me like a sort of sick trance before giving me a look that did not inspire me any good.

"I'm sorry, Mila."

As soon as the words had left his lips, he disappeared at the speed of vampire and my horrified gaze immediately fell on the blonde running at full speed through the woods. I started in pursuit of the vampire in a sprint and arrived just when the blonde let out a horrible cry as Stefan tore in her jugular.

"Stefan!" I cried at the same time as Elena and Damon, who had now joined us too, and I could see their horrified glances on the vampire as Stefan released the blonde, her blood dripping from his mouth.

I took a step forward to Stefan ignoring my racing heartbeat and the vampire immediately turned to me.

"Mila!" Elena shouted, frightened, but I hardly listened as I remained focused on Stefan.

"Stefan, look at me! "I ordered my eyes on him as Elena and Damon looked at me in awe and panic." Just listen to the sound of my voice. Just me. You can do it. Breathe. ''

Stefan strode forward with a growl towards me and Damon instantly took a step forward, calling out the vampire.'' Stop! Check yourself, please. ''

I took another step forward, despite Damon's forbidding gaze and filled the gap between Stefan and me a little more. The vampire suddenly looked at me and I could see his face changed right before my eyes. Then, suddenly Damon was in front of me, blocking my view of Stefan as he took another cautious step towards his brother.

''Hey! It will be fine! Breathe deeply now. "

I widened my eyes in horror as Stefan barely listened to Damon and sent him waltzing into the next tree with unimaginable strength and Elena soon screamed in horror. I was going off in a race without even thinking and just posted myself in front of Stefan to stop him from attacking Damon and it was there when I felt it.

The unbearable pain of the fangs tearing my flesh.

The blood was sucked from me and the agony that every sucking brought me. I could not scream or even hear Elena's horrified screams or even Damon's protests.

Everything seemed to be fuzzy and I fell softly into Stefan's arms, allowing him a better grip to suck my blood dry.

When I thought that I was really going to die at the hands of my best friend, he suddenly withdrew from me in a pure agony and I collapsed on the ground like a puppet bringing instantly my hand on my neck to stop the effusion of blood. I could barely keep my eyes open so much that the fatigue was trying to take hold of me and I could barely see Stefan on the floor through my eyelashes.

For a moment, he was there and then the next moment he was gone to simply be replaced by Damon who was standing right now in front of me.

"Mila!" He called, sounding panicked, shaking me to keep me awake as I felt the blood running down my fingers before spotting Elena by his side who was crying.'' God, Mila! Stay awake! ''

 _ **Damon POV**_

"Damon! She's going to die."Elena scared, holding her hand to her mouth to hold her sobs.

"Certainly not." Damon stated, keeping his eyes on Mila in panic before bringing his wrist to his lips and tore it with his fangs before slapping it on Mila's mouth.

The brunette's eyes widened in spite of her obvious fatigue and tried to oppose some unnecessary struggle against him, but she was too weak to resist him any longer.

They watched as the open pulpit of her neck knitted together again and Mila began to take on new colors.

 _ **Mila POV**_

When I spit Damon's wrist away, I could still feel the taste of blood as well as the liquid dripping down my chin.

I quickly wiped the blood out of my mouth with a flick of my hand and jumped up sharply before staggering slightly and getting caught by Damon, but I was too focused in search of Stefan to be careful.

''Stefan! "I exhaled, horrified." Where is Stefan? "

Elena suddenly entered my field of vision and encircled me in a suffocating embrace, making me frown on the brunette in irritation."You're fine, Mila." She reassured uselessly, disoriented. "You have nothing to fear. He left.''

I instantly pushed back her embrace in a dazed momentum.'' What? Where is he? Where is he?! "I screamed angrily when Elena was speechless staring at me like I was crazy just like Damon and it was there that I saw Bonnie standing out of the way. I instantly narrowed my eyes on her. "What did you do to him?"

I jerked Elena roughly in a leap and walked furiously towards the witch. '' What did you do to him, Bonnie? What did you do to him? "

"Mila! Mila! Stop!" Tried Elena to stopped me, to no avail.

Bonnie stared at me barely shaken by my rage."He was going to kill you."

It was all I needed to explode. I filled the rest of gap between the brunette and me in a mad rage.

''We had an agreement! You didn't have the right! "I exploded furiously, my fists tickling me."I told you to stay away!"

I felt two strong arms close on me before pulling me back. I struggled with all my strength, beating my hands and feet against my restrictions, but he was too strong.

"Mila! Stop! Stop!" Damon said firmly to my ear as tears stung my eyes. "Stop! Stop fighting!''

I let myself fall against Damon's chest, not yet strong enough to wrestle properly, and breathed in a jerky manner, as the tears kept flowing and ran down my cheeks continuously. I raised my head to meet Bonnie's impassive gaze as Elena wore a mortified expression.

I sniffed disdainfully, glaring at the witch."It's alright, you can let go of Damon!"However, he did nothing, just exasperating me a little bit more."I told you to let go of me."

'' Mila ... ''

Damon relaxed his embrace and I took advantage of the little freedom I had to sweep away my tears with a flick of my hand and pierce my way out.

I was standing right in front of Bonnie and gauging her with pure contempt before shaking my head and making my way back to the town hall without giving them a single glance.

* * *

Unfortunately, the sheriff had realized wrestling that had taken place in the bathroom and Damon had to hypnotize the girl who I knew was now called Amber.

Now, I was standing aside from Bonnie and Elena, who kept watching me closely as if I were a time bomb while Caroline's mother was questioning Amber in the back of the ambulance that was being taken supported by doctors.

I had somehow run out of blood that had permeated my neck and Damon had lent me the jacket of his suit so that I could hide the rest of my blood embedded in my clothes. I was fully aware of what had happened and knew that without Damon's blood, I would probably be dead but that did not mean anything to me.

I knew that Stefan was out of control and even if I was terrified, it would not change my way of perceiving him.

Nothing had changed for me.

Caroline's mother who was the sheriff walked towards us and I looked up to look at her just like Elena and Bonnie.

"She doesn't even remember what happened." We informed the sheriff even if it was not big news for us.

"Luckily the girls found her in time." Damon said, glancing at us and I did not miss Bonnie's icy glow. "She lost a lot of blood."

The sheriff nodded understanding as she shared a secret look with Damon before turning her attention back to us. "Did you see something?"

I could see the look of pressure that Elena put on Bonnie as I shook my head and luckily followed closely by Bonnie.

I thought she had done enough damage for a day.

Our agreement was extinguished, and I still felt the weight of rancor when I looked at her. I felt sincerely betrayed and did not like the taste it had.

It was the only thing I asked her for and she did not even respect it. She knew what Stefan meant to me and after the long discussion we had shared, I honestly thought she understood. That's why I did not want to include her in all of this. I had wanted to keep her away and respect her wishes but she had still mingled on her own.

"Uh!" Elena's hesitant voice echoed in her lie as she put her eyes on Damon. "We just ... find her and warn Damon. "

Damon nodded as Bonnie came out of her silent state to look at the really worried sheriff."She'll be fine, right?"

"I'm sure she will." The sheriff assured, giving Damon this new look before turning her attention back to us with the clear intention of getting us away. "You should be come bake to the party. Damon and I are taking care of the rest. "

"Yes." Damon said.

I nodded silently, already turning around without even waiting for Elena and Bonnie and walking towards the town hall.

Soon, footsteps could be heard behind me, followed closely by Elena's boring and compassionate voice."Bonnie. If you want, we can talk about it. "

''What's the point? Frankly."Fiercely cried the witch, continuing to walk and soon fell into the walk beside me, leaving me slightly surprised and annoyed.

''Oh, don't do that to me. "Elena insisted before probably holding Bonnie back as she was suddenly closer to me."Stop! "

I stopped in my step and returned to Elena at the same time as Bonnie to watch the explosion of the witch.

"I told you I didn't want to force you to choose your side." Bonnie recalled, and I openly rolled my eyes to that. She was execrable now."But I need time to think about it. Now, leave me alone! Okay.''

Bonnie stormed away from us and I watched her fleeing back until I felt Elena's oppressive presence hovering over me.

I turned to her with an eyebrow raised in annoyance as she put a reassuring hand on my shoulder, "Are you okay?"

"Spare me that!" I spit, raising her touch on my shoulder but she decided otherwise as she grabbed my arm to make me turn around.

"Hey! You were attacking tonight."She emphasized with a severe frown." You could have died so I have the right to know if you're well or not."

"It wasn't his fault, okay? "I snapped, not really caring what she could say." It's human blood. It makes him out of control. "

'' Mila ... ''

I pulled my free arm hard. "Leave me alone, Elena! ''

* * *

I was standing in Salvatore's living room now, my legs curled up against my chest as I rested my head on my lap and closed my eyes.

It was out of the question that I was going to let Stefan get lost a little more.

After we got back, I had pleaded with Elena to force her out Stefan and she ended up bending being still in love with the vampire transit just as I was always so loyal. We had returned to the boarding house and with a lot of discussion and arguments, Damon had agreed to let us act.

Well, Elena in this case since they felt that I had enough feeling for today. Damon's words, not mine.

The plan was to take Stefan to his lowest and deceive him by planting him, a dart filled with Alaric verveine to finally lock him in one of the cells of the pension and keep him locked up until he was weaned of human blood. It was risky and probably unreliable but had everything we had for now.

Suddenly, a crystal glass filled with an amber liquid entered my field of vision and I looked up to meet Damon's bluish orbs. I took one of my hands off my legs to graciously accept the glass and instantly brought the glass to my lips before taking a more generous sip, grimacing at the bitterness of the strong alcohol.

"Gently with that! It's one of my best bourbon."Damon warned me, trying to lighten the mood, but that did not stop us from fooling Stefan and there was no way that was going to walk.

I was looking for a table to rest my glass and shifted slightly by placing it on one of the mahogany coffee tables before returning to my original position.

Damon sat next to me with a worried gaze focused on me before finally speaking again. "How are you feeling?"

''Please, not you too.'' I said, rolling my eyes in boredom before turning my head to stare at him with a dull expression.'' I don't know what I'll do if it doesn't work.''

''You'll continue to live your little human life and get bored whenever you get the chance.'' Assured Damon, staring at me with a faint smirk, eliciting a sad, sad laugh about escaping before to stare at him confused when he frowned, pensive."You're stronger than you think, Mila."

I gauged him for a moment in complete silence, not really knowing what to say before yielding to my impulse and leaned against him. I rested my head on his shoulder watching the fire in thought. I knew that Elena was upstairs with Stefan and I could not help but startle when I heard a loud noise coming from the floor and was going to detach me from Damon to go there but he closed his arm on me to stop me from leaving.

It was probably better.

"I'm not strong." I said in a low whisper."Not without him."


	20. Chapter 20 : Needed me

**Chapter Twenty : Needed me**

I turned and turned for the third time that night and ended up landing on the back watching the high ceiling of the boarding house with a sigh.

After we had locked Stefan in the cellar, it was totally inconceivable that I was going to leave him in Damon's custody.

So, I decided to stay for a few days in the pension. Elena had stuck with me, which gave me a cover with Jenna although that did not really enchant me.

Less time, I had to go in the presence of my sister and the better I went. It was not that I felt any resentment towards her because I loved her, she was my sister despite everything, but she had the gift of making me uncomfortable.

Only the fact that she cared about Stefan almost as much as me counted in my eyes for now. It was all that helped me to bear her.  
Speaking of the vampire, our weaning experience was not a big success.

He refused to drink the animal blood we gave him, and I suspected it was a self-punishment. He felt guilty and the return to reality was even harder for him. I could not really put myself in this position, but I had to try to understand him and help him as best I could.  
I grabbed the pillow underneath my head and readjusted it before closing my eyes in the hope of getting some sleep but opened them again after five minutes.

I turned my head to one side with a weak sigh and watched Elena sleep on the opposite couch. She wore a permanent frown even while asleep and I could not deny that this whole situation was also weighing on her.

Well at least, one of us was able to get some sleep.  
Realizing that I would probably not be able to fall asleep anytime soon, I silently removed the blanket from my body and kept a close eye on Elena's sleepy figure so as not to wake her up before getting up.

I made my way outside the living room and crossed the long corridors to the kitchen. I turned on the switch and glanced over my shoulder at the dark corridors before walking towards the refrigerator as I straightened my loose hair in a messy bun.

I took a jar of vanilla and chocolate chip ice cream before pulling a spoon out of the drawer and leaned on my elbows against the kitchen island before pulling the lid off. I gauged the ice in thought, my spoon hovering over the tank before taking a piece with a sigh, tired.

I hated waiting and having to watch Stefan get himself in more pain. And, I hated feeling so helpless. It just reminded me once again that I was just a little human playing in the big leagues.

"When you don't steal our coffee, it's our ice cream." Damon's familiar voice popped in and I jumped slightly before turning my head to the kitchen entrance to see him nonchalantly leaning against the opening with his arms crossed over his chest.

I pulled the spoon out of my mouth with an apologetic expression."I'm sorry. I ... I couldn't sleep and ... "

I stopped myself in my pain not really knowing what to say given the situation and looked down on the ice playing absently with my spoon. I heard his footsteps and the opening of a drawer before he stood beside me, silently drawing in the ice to bring it to his lips as I rubbed my neck.

"How's your neck?" Damon asked, noting my gesture.

"I'm fine, Damon." I replied hastily, betraying my lie as I kept my eyes on the ice cream to escape his gaze and sighed in surrender. "I wouldn't be well. ''

Damon did not pick up my statement and just pulled a little more ice in a strangely comfortable silence. It was sometimes weird how I could feel so comfortable in his presence when most of the time I could barely stand him. I thought it was when he was showing real pieces of his personality.

"Hum!" I swallowed the remaining ice cream I had in my mouth before pointing the jar in thought."Do you know what it would take with this ice cream?"

"A bag of negative O?" Damon smirked, and I rolled my eyes giving him a slight shoulder shot.

"No, stupid!" I snapped with a small smirk before taking another bite of ice and smiling at Damon's expression of surprise. " , totally vodka to make a volcano. ''

"A volcano?" Damon repeated with a slight frown of disgust and confusion.

I widened my eyes in total disbelief and turned to Damon to look at him as if he had two heads and bounced slightly in excitement. "You ever tried? "

"Ice cream is not really my favorite choice, if you know what I mean." Damon defended himself with a creepy carnivorous smile.

I rolled my eyes, sarcastically. "We understood Damon! You're a big bad vampire who eats people."

"Hey!" Tsik Damon in negation with a smug smile."I'm a nice vampire now. I only drink blood bags and help granny's cross pedestrian crosswalks. "

"Very credible." I said ironically.

Damon falsely widened his eyes in shock, bringing his hand to his heart pretending to be appalled by my insinuation."You dare to question my good behavior?"

I let out a laugh despite myself in irony. If there was one thing, I was sure of, it was that Damon did not have good behavior. He was even the opposite of good behavior.

"I think your good behavior is like this ice cream." I said, picking a spoonful to prove my point. "It looks very sweet and innocent when you look at it, but in the end it's bad for our own health.''

There was a long silence after that as Damon seemed to gauge me with the most complex frown, I had seen on him. The double meaning in my sentence had obviously not gone unnoticed by the vampire and I almost regretted my words but knew that there was no need to be. I always had to keep a certain distance with the vampire and it was better if things were clear. I could probably never let myself go in his presence as I would with Stefan.

Realizing this, I clumsily cleared my throat and left Damon with himself to return to the living room. I was still wondering how we got to that.

* * *

It seemed that everything was getting more and more complicated and I was starting to feel like those stupid TV series girls who lived a whole bunch of adventures all the time.

I took my eyes off Stefan, who was lying on the floor and seemed to be in a kind of mental pain. It was just impossible for me to watch him fight against himself. I had always been aware of this part of the vampire's torture and was probably what brought us closer in the first place but it was always difficult to attend without being able to do anything to ease his pain.

I cruised Damon's azure blue orbs as I turned back, swallowing again when I heard Stefan's groan over my shoulder and leaned back against the stone wall as Elena was watching her lover torture.

I was still exhausted from the little sleep I had managed to get and listening to Elena and her useless momentum of compassion was not really recommending for my already gloomy mood.

''It's too hard to see him shut up like that." Elena said, sounding almost as torture as Stefan, making me want to hit some sense in her empty little head.

When I looked at Elena, I could not help but see how naive she was.

She was part of the secret but her experience as a popular model girl still stuck to her skin. It was sad to say but I sometimes wondered if she had suffered the same misfortune as us. She was far too pragmatic for her good and seemed to see the good everywhere as life was the opposite of the rainbows and the little ponies galloping on the hill. She was still living in a fairy tale and desperately needed to open her eyes to life.

Everything was far from being all rosy and beautiful. Misfortunes happened every day in the world, but it turned out that our life was much more populated by them than normal. It was just necessary to resolve and overcome them without covering the face.

Stefan did not need compassion right now. He needed us to be strong and not let anything pass. We had to help him, and everywhere, the means. Even if it meant sequestering him in the cellar and infusing him with animal blood if it was necessary. He had no right to be let down because he thought himself irreparable. I would not let him do that. I thought I was irreparable, there are still a few months and even if I thought it still sometimes, it was enough that Stefan be with me so that I obtained a glimmer of hope in the darkness which surrounded me.

Stefan was this glimmer for me and I would make sure to be his.

''Yet you've locked him in.'' Damon retorted with a clever accent in his voice, rolling my eyes in boredom.

"And you helped me." Elena sighed, sending him a disapproving glare, making Damon roll his eyes.

"Well, yes." Damon assured bemusedly, continuing sarcastically."I could not let him chew the necks of the good people while the council opened the vampire hunt."

Again, he used taunts and sarcasm to escape serious discussions. He was just like a child most of the time and I was seriously starting to get tired of his behavior. This resentment he had for Stefan was horribly old and even if there was more than Katherine's story, I thought it was ridiculous. One hundred and fifty years. One hundred and fifty years of Stefan's life was hell. I could understand that eternal life could become boring in the long run but it just showed how immature they were.

I was just listening to the rest of the conversation as Damon retreated with Elena following him as I took advantage of their inattention to stay in front of Stefan's cell. I approached slowly to hoist myself slightly to the feet and clung to the bars of the small opening to plunge my eyes on Stefan who clasped his eyes closed in agony and seemed tormented by demons of the past.

"You will overcome that, Stefan." I murmured in conviction as I tightened up despite myself my fingers on the bars."You will overcome this pain and I will be there to help you."

I moved away reluctantly, not without giving a last look at the vampire and made my way up the stairs to the hallway. I went instantly to the living room where most of my belongings had been since we had temporarily taken up residence at the boarding house and found that Elena had already left without me.

I was instantly crossing Damon's bluish orbs, which gauged me intensely and I lowered my head as I walked straight down to get my things back. I made my point clear yesterday and once again affirm where my loyalty was as my friendship. I really wanted to give Damon a chance, but the vampire was way too unpredictable for me to let me go completely with him. I might have been vampires, but I was not stupid, let alone naive.

I had probably experienced a lot more death in the last few months than Elena and I was fully aware of what it meant to be part of this world.

I put the covers together before putting on my thick woolen vest when Damon shouted at me.

''You'll never give up, will you? No matter what he does or becomes, you can't help but feel responsible."I paused at that." You're as holy as he is. "

I turned around, narrowing my eyes at the vampire with irritation."If I care about Stefan and want to save him from his own demons, I'm a saint. So yes, that's what I am. "

I could see a slight surge of surprise on Damon's face when I returned bitterly but, as usual, walked to the stairs leading upstairs.

Going to high school was my last concern right now.

I had to watch over Stefan first and I had no confidence in Damon to keep him. He was too indifferent about the whole situation to reassure me about his involvement.

I went instantly to the library with a plan already in my mind for the day. I was going to continue reading that I had left in abeyance the last time Damon had held me captive and checked Stefan from time to time to make sure he was going to fight. I might have looked like a stubborn, almost obsessive girl in the dark vampire's eyes, but I made a promise to Stefan and I was going to hold it.

I was slightly surprised to find that the book was still in the same place I had left it before settling comfortably on one of the antique armchairs.

I took off my pair of converses and bent one leg under my buttocks while the other rested against my chest with my left arm closed on it. I did not know if Damon had already realized that I was still in the boarding house, but if he had that then it did not bother him so much because he had not come to bother me yet.

I did not count the hours or even the minutes because I was immersed in my reading and when I finally released the eyes of my book, I could see that the sunlight had significantly darkened indicating that we were probably more than four in 'afternoon.

I carefully closed the book before placing it on the coffee table and straightened while stretching my arms and legs. Several crunches were heard as a result of my position that I had adopted all afternoon and I sighed contentedly when my muscles relaxed before quickly making my way down.

I was instantly looking for the annoying vampire but found that I was left alone for the moment, so I went to the basement and grabbed a bottle of animal blood made specifically for Stefan before going up the stairs and headed for the cells. More I was approaching Stefan's cell and over, I could hear two distinct voices making me slightly frown in the plot before squinting when I was close enough to discern Damon's bloody words.

''Okay. Dessicated! I don't care."Barked Damon coldly, making me stop in my tracks by the harshness of his words and I swallowed in apprehension before resuming my walk to cross him on my way." Mila? What are you doing here ?''

I snubbed him openly as I continued my way to Stefan's cell and could feel his bluish orbs pierced holes in my back as I climbed on my feet to look at Stefan. My gaze darkened in pain as I found Stefan still lying on the floor and a bottle of blood intact not far from him.

I sighed sadly in defeat and slid down the wall before falling on my buttocks and pulled my legs against my chest, resting my chin on my lap as the footsteps climbing Damon's stairs became more and more distant . I gently slammed my head against the cold stone and closed my eyes as I could hear Stefan's huffing breath and the rustling of the ground with each of his movements.

"You shouldn't be here." I heard Stefan's indistinct croaking and stared up in amazement as I looked at the wooden closed door.

"And, I shouldn't abuse sugar after midnight, but I do it anyway." I retorted sarcastically, not being ready to accept Stefan's harshness."These things happen."  
'' Go away, Mila!'' Suddenly barked Stefan, making me jump, closing my eyes anxiously before biting hard on my lip at his next, whispered words. '' I don't want you here.''

I kept quiet and kept my eyes on the wall opposite. I counted the bricks to keep busy with the fact that my best friend was locked behind the door where I was resting and had no sense of preservation as he categorically refused to eat.

After a long silence of several tens of minutes, the sound of the earth reached my ears followed closely by a new silence.

''He didn't want to.'' Said Stefan suddenly in a barely audible whisper, calling out to me as I stared at the door with a frown, confused. ''All he always wanted was to be with Katherine. He didn't want this life. "

I could easily understand that he was talking about Damon but was still confused about the essential idea of the statement.

"What do you mean, Stefan?" I asked, copying his whisper as I looked at the door as if it had all the answers to my questions.

* * *

 _There was a new silence when I felt myself pulled into a kind of unconscious mist. I shouted, widening my eyes when I noticed that I was no longer in the basement of the boarding house but in a kind of green quarry._

 _I could feel confusion and panic as I looked around for something familiar but stopped me in disbelief when my eye caught something else. I was sure I was hallucinating because it could not be real._

 _It was impossible.  
_

 _Right before my eyes was Stefan._

 _He looked exactly like the one from now, but he wore different clothes from another era and carried a bucket of water at arm's length._ _His hair was longer too, and he still looked young, credulous in some way._ _Experience and knowledge were not yet present in his green forest eyes._

 _I needed a little time to pull myself together before I went after him by calling his name only to find that my words had no impact._ _It was as if he did not hear me._

 _I was now walking a few steps away and observed in more detail what he was wearing. He had a half-open white shirt revealing a series of perfectly drawn abs, but that was not what prompted me._ _He had a huge stain of a red liquid on his neck and you did not have to be a great physicist to understand that it was blood. He_ _seemed to be stained only at this place as his trousers were intact and his riding boots. It did not take long for me to understand that I was in one of Stefan's memories and that considering his outfit, we were far away in his memory._

 _I did not know how I got here but I kept following Stefan and when I thought it could not get any weird, I saw him join another man on the bank of a river that looked familiar to me._ _I had been here before, but I could not remember the exact place._

 _It was so long ago._

 _I saw only the back of the second boy but more, I approached and more, I got a very bad feeling._

 _This stature, this hair color of a black almost obsidian and maintaining so nonchalant. It reminded me of Damon too much and I realized that I was not wrong when I finally got a hold of his face._ _I was totally speechless at the sight in front of me. This Damon had nothing to do with Damon now._

 _He had longer hair and was wearing curls. He was half naked, exposing his broad chest and if I was not stuck in some kind of old memory, I would have probably blushed in embarrassment, but it was far too crazy._ _He seemed barely recognizable. All his arrogant and pretentious features were absent from his face and only the pain of loss and despair seemed to be read.  
_

 _"I bet that Jonathan Gilbert has warned Father right now. '' Stefan suddenly said, calling me in disbelief at the mention of my ancestor._

 _So, we were in the days when Stefan and Damon were still human._

 _I was copying Stefan as he sat next to Damon and could not let go the brown of my eyes. He was so out of character for me that it was almost impossible. "I wonder how he reacted to the announcement of our death."  
_

 _I widened my eyes in shock at this announcement and quickly gathered the pieces together._

 _So, they had just died so._

 _I still remembered Stefan telling me the story of his death. They had been shot by their own father and had unknowingly activated the vampire transition.  
_

 _"What do you want it to do to him?" Damon retorted coldly, seemingly barely interested in the conversation before continuing, dull and resentful."He betrayed us."  
_

 _"He was thinking of protecting us, Damon. "Defended Stefan, making me nostalgic as it reminded me that was what he was doing. He was the one who was trying to understand people and give them a chance. He was the one who gave me a chance. '' As he thought he was protecting the city. ''  
_

 _Damon scarcely looked at Stefan as he turned his attention back to the river with a sullen expression and seemed in pain.  
_

 _"Mm." Damon sighed with a grimace, bringing his hand to his eyes to protect himself from the sun. "The sun burns my eyes."  
_

 _"It's part of the process: aches, nausea ... Emilie says it's our body that drives us to feed ourselves ... to complete the mutation." Stefan explained, leaving me one more time against the mutation. It was something I could never hold._

 _"It's not going to happen to me." Damon answered categorically, making my eyes glimpse at the future vampire in disbelief.  
_

 _I could not believe I had just heard that from Damon Salvatore. The homicidal vampire who killed without an ounce of remorse._ _I remembered what Stefan had said just before I was dragged in that sort of reminiscence mist, and I was seriously starting to get a little idea._

 _Suffice to say that it did not enchant me in the least._

 _"You made your decision." Stefan said, taking an exaggerated look mixed with sadness, and the rest of his statement was like a cleaver."You'd rather die."  
_

 _"That's not what you want?" Damon retorted, leaving me more shocked before continuing."The goal was to be with Katherine ... and she died." I looked at Damon in disbelief, unable to believe that he could have loved this girl so much as she was a manipulative bitch._

 _I was totally speechless at his next statement, "It's all over."_

* * *

"Mila! Mila! ''

I was suddenly withdrawn into reality, the images of Stefan and Damon on the edge of this river fading in the meanders of memory and jumped in a panicked jump when I realized that I was back in front of Stefan's cell and that Elena was now at my side, gauging me slightly worried and confused about my panting, disoriented expression.

"Elena?" I recognized with a frown copying her own and straightened me with the wall.

''You're okay? You seemed in a sort of trance." Elena questioned, puzzled and slightly worried but I did not know her question as I turned my attention to Stefan who looked up from the blood bottle lying on the ground to cross my azure orbs.

There was a tacit exchange that settled between us as I now understood what he had shown me and realized he was not eating just because he thought he was an abomination. He was punishing himself for something that had happened more than a century ago.

Unfortunately, our exchange was cut short as Elena grabbed my arm to make me turn around and stare at her with a raised eyebrow, annoyed. '' Have you been here all day? ''

"Well, duh!" I replied dryly with annoyance deepening Elena's disapproving frown and judgment.

"You've skipped classes." Elena pointed out foolishly, her reprimanding tone making me roll her eyes in irritation.

''Obviously if I spent the day here.'' I broke, annoyed with rubbing my forehead in boredom.''I currently own the highest GPA and again, I don't necessarily try to get it. I am ahead of most of my classes and if you really want to know I have already written my affections for several years since I entered high school so-"

I did not wait for Elena's answer as I could see the amazement written on her face and went up the stairs to the first one. I was making my way straight through the living room, not noticing in the first place the vampire crossing the library and jumped on the couch with a frown exasperate engraving on my face and rumored my annoyance towards my older sister.

Then, the images of Stefan's memory resurfaced in my mind and my exasperated frown changed for another more confused and yet understanding. It was so disturbing to see a version of Damon totally different from today's and most importantly, the revelation he left on my mind.

"It wouldn't be our dear Elena who got you that annoyed frown?" Damon's sarcastic voice came across the room, pulling me out of my stupor.

"I'm not in the mood." I said, having neither the desire, nor the time to take tweezers with the vampire.

"That I noticed."Damon turned to me with that weird thing he was doing with his eyebrows before resuming with a suggestive smile. "You know, I know a very good way to lighten all this ... frustration. "

I wrinkled my shaded orbs on him as he intentionally dragged the last syllables with implied.

"Can you avoid acting like a prostitute for a moment?" I was bored with a slight grimace of disgust before continuing to embarrass."Besides, I don't feel that kind of ... ew, frustration.''

"Really?" Damon questioned mischievously, suddenly appearing in my face with a smirk as he rested both his hands along my sides, trapping me in the bottom of the couch.

Damon kept moving forward on me and my legs were now between his own, sending despite me a wave of electricity in my lower abdomen. I could feel my blood rising to my cheeks as the heat in the room seemed to increase dramatically as my heartbeat became more and more frantic as it moved on me. The sensation of his legs closing on mine as his hot breath sweeping my face destabilized me more than I wanted to admit it and I felt my voice being taken from me as I was bewitched by his gaze burning lust. My eyes passed despite me with his azure eyes for his lips and I licked my own in envy, darkening despite myself my eyes.

I suddenly put my hand flat on his chest to hold him at bay and had to swallow before he could get out a strangled word betraying my desire for the vampire.'' Really. ''

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon watched Mila's now-red-hot face listening to her jerky heartbeat just as her icy blue orbs had dimmed considerably and he could not help but think how nice her hand was on his chest. The heat it radiated grew on him and her pink lips now wet only accentuated his desire for the young Gilbert. He had heard her answer, but her actions said quite the opposite.

 _ **Mila POV**_

''Mila? "I immediately broke my head in the direction of Elena's voice with eyes wide in shame as she glared at the vampire and then at me and suddenly pushed Damon up in nervousness. "Can I know what's going on here?"

"Nothing!" I answered in a hurry, my voice getting a little sharper as I was still controlled by my hormones and aroused a complacent smile from Damon as he tried, like a victorious pashas on the couch while Elena looked at me sternly, incredulously, "I'm going to make coffee."

I made a quick exit, wanting more than anything to escape the bloody eyes of Elena and the vampire, and headed for the kitchen. I leaned on the kitchen island taking deep breath to calm my heart down and removed my vest by tying my hair in a high tail before rubbing my collarbone, tense.

What had just happened?

It was definitive, I hated fucking brain and the neurons it contained.

I was supposed to be smart, not feel that sexual desire for a psychopathic vampire. I was not like the average teenager or at least I tended to think so. And I could not hide myself as if I had something to reproach me that would only give reason to this sly vampire and it was out of the question that I was going to give him this pleasure. I took a deep breath and turned around with an impassive expression.

As soon as I walked back into the living room, Elena's eyes formed on me and she raised an inquisitive eyebrow."I thought you were going to make coffee."

"Coffee?" I was confused before I widened my eyes and wanted to instantly hit me for being so inattentive. "Oh, coffee! There is none left.''

I avoided Damon's sneer at all costs and his smug smile at my lame attempt to lie as Elena narrowed her suspicion before she reported back to Damon to continue her boring speech about the fact that she could not look at Stefan like that anymore and that he did not want to eat anymore.

I walked a little further back to the library that looked out over the entire living room and looked up at the two on the small platform as Damon rolled his eyes, minimizing as usual the resistance of his brother.

"He dramatizes that's all. He will not let himself die of hunger.''

"Why did he say that?" Elena insisted with a frown and her heartbreaking tone.

Damon turned to Elena, annoyed."Because he's mad at biting the girl. It's the martyr's blow."He rolled his eyes, annoying me a little more with the casual way he took things. If only, he knew it had everything to do with him. "It's going to pass him."

The little he showed me proved it.

I refused to believe that he had shown me this memory only because he was wandering in the grip of pain and lack of human blood. He was reproaching himself about the vampire and maybe I had my own idea, although it seemed totally improbable knowing the elder vampire Salvatore today.

I could not imagine that it was possible.

"Sure?" Elena questioned uncertainly.

''Hum! Hmm!"Hummed distractedly Damon in acceptance, not making the slightest effort to seem even a convincing ounce and I could not help but want to hit him in the face.

Elena stared blankly as if she was suffering from some blood addiction and was locked up in the boarding house."He seemed to be in such pain."

Well, duh! He had stopped eating and was languishing in an infernal abyss of pain and reproach. It was the definition of pain.

"That's it too." Damon retorted, impassive. "Once he's eaten."

"I wasn't talking about physical suffering." Elena narrowed her eyes to the vampire with annoyance.

"I know what you were talking about. " Barked Damon in turn before putting his eyes on my older sister and I could see his expression soften at Elena's sight. This obsession with Katherine's double was disgusting. They just could not help but reproduce the mistakes of the past. "Do you think that will be ok if I leave you?"The vampire suddenly asked, glancing at me." I have an errand to do with the teacher.''

I exhilarated at this and gauged Damon with an arched eyebrow."Wait, Professor?"

"Hum!" Recognized Damon sounding intentionally mysterious as he smiled at me conspiratorially.

"Mr Saltzman? You are friends now?"Elena questioned, surprised as I rushed down the few steps to pose in front of the vampire with a stern look.

''He has no friends.'' I squeezed my gaze at the vampire as he turned to me with a raised eyebrow slightly amused by my deduction as well as curious. '' Which leaves me thinking. What are you doing with him? "

"Ha!" Exclaimed Damon with a smirk as he grabbed his leather jacket from the back of the couch."It's for me to know and you ... you know what's next."

"Damon! I swear to you ... "

"Relax, Mila!" Damon interrupted me with that exasperating smile."You're going to get wrinkles." Then he turned to Elena with that slight accent of worry. "You should ... Avoid go down. I wouldn't want you to be down alone. ''

I was dying to scoff at that, but Elena was ahead of me as she confidently assured herself that she would be fine.

Fortunately, his ban only stopped Elena because I had no intention of respecting it. I was certainly not going to listen to him and let Stefan dry out without doing anything.

"You know ... you make him really trustful given the circumstances."Damon, addressing both of us as he looked at me as if it were more to me than Elena and I rolled my eyes bored.

"You too." Elena assured me making her look puzzled as to what she had behind her head,"Otherwise you would not leave the house."

I had to admit she had a point, although I would never admit it out loud. There was no reason to give her more importance than she already received. With Stefan and Damon constantly on her hook, she was going to end up taking the big head and I could not let her do that. Duty of little sister, probably.

"I will not be long." Damon contented himself before going out, leaving me alone with Elena,who was currently flagrant to me.

I frowned, crossing my arms on my chest defensively. "What?"

"We're going to talk about what happened sooner?" Elena asked even though I knew she would talk about it even if I answered negatively.

"I don't see the point." I snapped, turning back to the couch. "Nothing happened."

"Really?" Elena insisted, her tone rising slightly an octave in annoyance."Because that was not what it seemed from my point of view."

"It may be a sign that you should check your sight." I intimated myself if I acted immature at that moment.

I was certainly not going to talk about my sexual attraction to Damon with my sister. It was already quite confusing to recognize it for myself.

Elena cocked her jaw, annoyed."I'm not in the mood for your sarcasm, Mila."

"Yeah, well, I'm not in the mood to talk to you then." I said, bored as I made my way outside the living room and hired me for the corridors leading to the hallway door of the cellar.

"Hey, don't walk away from me, Mila!" Elena barked, her furious steps heard in my wake and I rolled my eyes and ignored her before pulling the door open and down the stairs only, that was without counting on Elena who passed me and stood in front of me, taking a seat on the step below.

"Move!" I ordered with exasperation as she crossed her arms over her chest and furiously tapped her foot as I struck down on the spot and I raised an eyebrow in the challenge before staring over her shoulder pretending worried expression. '' Stefan? ''

Elena turned instantly, running her head first in my subterfuge and I took advantage of my trick to overtake and fill the remains of space leading to the cell vampire.

"What is-Mila!" Elena grumbled under her breath before joining me as I watched Stefan appear more and more depressed.

There was a long silence as my sister and I were looking at Stefan without a word when the vampire decided to break the tense calm.

"Damon has not given me vervain for a long time. I could be at the door in a split second and kill you. "Warned darkly Stefan, keeping a totally stoic expression and I had to admit that if it was not Stefan in front of me, I would probably be terrified.

Elena was the one who answered as she pushed me slightly aside, making me piercing holes in her skull and clung to the bars of the window."It's true. You could. But you will not do it. ''

Stefan ordered her to leave as he had told me earlier and I had everything I needed. I pushed Elena out of the way, gathering a bloody look from the brunette before her eyes widened when I opened the door of the cell and ventured inside.

"What are you doing?" Exclaims Stefan, shocked before resuming a hard expression. "Get out of here."

"No." I asked firmly, stepping on my positions and stepping forward a bit more.

"You are stupidly taking risks. I could hurt you."Warned Stefan, gauging me carefully.

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't have to act stupid if you swallowed that." I retorted, grabbing the bottle of blood from the floor and handed him with determination.

"Mila. Get out of here or I swear you'll regret it. "Stefan warned himself getting darker by the minute but I was standing in front of him and kept tightening the bottle, narrowing my eyes at the vampire.

''Drink!''

I did not have time to realize what was happening as Stefan had nailed me to the wall and screamed fiercely in my face, making Elena gasp in fear."I told you to get out of there!''

I stared at him for a moment in silence as he kept his eyes diving into my own, waiting for him to calm down. I knew I should be terrified now, but there was something in me that kept telling me that Stefan could never hurt me.

Well, not intentionally or on his good mood at least.

"That will not happen to Stefan." I declared emphatically, keeping my eyes glued to the almost gray forest greens if you paid enough attention.

He noticed my determination and finally released me with a guilty expression before returning to sit on the floor. I looked at Stefan painfully before looking at Elena and the entry-in-turn. I knew it was hard to recognize but Elena had more impact on Stefan than me at some point and I thought it was probably one of her moments.

I leaned with my arms crossed on the wall of the cell as Elena entered and sat down next to Stefan.

"Tell me, Stefan." Asked Elena sounding desperate as I stared intently at Stefan."Why are you doing this?"

Stefan looked up to catch my eye, which did not escape Elena and kept his eyes riveted on mine as he answered."I just took a resolution that I should have taken years ago."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked, frowning, confused as I stood there, looking at Stefan in understanding, he had shown it to me unlike Elena.

This part of him. This human life.

"We have to feed ourselves, if we want to complete the mutation." Rapped Stefan, pensively deepening Elena's frown as she looked at me for answers but I remained totally silent and turned my attention to the vampire.

"I know."She said.

There was a long silence between us three as Stefan kept watching me intensely, exchanging tacit words through his eyes and I swallowed in anticipation of his next words.

"I shouldn't have made that decision."

Elena and I were religiously listening to Stefan as he recounted the day he had completed the transition.

My expressions were mixed as he explained, and I did not really know how I felt. I was already aware that it was his father who had shot them, but I could not believe he did not even feel an ounce of remorse for doing this to his sons. Even after he had killed him, Stefan had wanted to help his father despite everything and I knew it was all right. I should probably feel repelled by the vampire, even terrified.

All this would certainly be purely normal and rational reactions but all I felt was a kind of justice. He may have been drinking from his own father to complete the transition, but it sounded more like a twist of fate.

He was not bad. He just could not be bad and probably will never be in my eyes.

After he had finished telling this, he put his eyes filled with guilt and self-loathing at us, breaking my heart a little more in plain view.

"How can you still look me in the face?" Stefan questioned incredulously.

Elena took her eyes off Stefan to gauge me for a long time and I pulled away from the wall reluctantly before making my way to the exit. I really was not inclined to leave them alone, but she needed time with him and I knew that I had to leave them that.

However, I stopped at the door, my hand on the wood and glanced at Stefan over my shoulder.

"It will never be easy. This pain, guilt but you can stand for yourself and for others and live with it. I know it's not easy, Stefan. Believe me, I know it better than anyone, but you have to fight and keep going. "

I was making my way back into the living room in a sort of amorphous state, my thoughts totally centering on the vampire in the basement and looked up to look without really looking at the entire living room. A weak breath escaped me and all I wanted was to forget all those bad memories.

Given that Elena was still downstairs and that I could not possibly know what they were saying, I needed some distraction or at least to take care of myself. I went to the kitchen and decided to make the coffee that I should have done earlier if I had not been so disturbed by the vampire who was Damon Salvatore.

Although, I was going to make sure that it would not happen again. It was already humiliating to blush at practically all his salacious implications so if he started making further advances, it was out of the question that I was going to make a fool of myself.

I was now using a cup of the sweet soothing elixir when I heard footsteps behind me and glanced over my shoulder to see Elena come in with a tired sigh. I bit the inside of my cheek, hesitating before turning around and handing her the cup I prepared for myself. She seemed slightly resumed by my action but still accepted the cup with gratitude.

I was going back to serving one for myself when she broke the silence, "I gave him the choice."

I frowned in confusion at not really knowing what choice she was talking about and wanted to ask for more but abstained knowing the brunette enough to know she probably would not tell me because she had to know already that I would think little of her idea. I was not really reassured by that besides but bit a little more inside my cheek and just leaned on the island enjoying the warmth that brought me coffee in my hands.

"Let's hope it works."

After that, we were again divided in the living room, Elena on one of the sofas to write her diary while I had down the edition of **Wuthering Heights** and rested on the floor near the fireplace. I could not help but feel that coldness as if it was constantly surrounding me and I had this constant need to warm myself up. I was so immersed in my reading that I did not hear the new presence immediately until he made himself known.

''Oh, That's not true."Damon suddenly exclaimed, making me look over my shoulder to see him sit next to Elena who was watching him."You're still here. "

I did not even want to pick up on his derogatory commentary that did not even make it worthy of an argument and just rolled my eyes and turned my attention to my book. I hardly listened to their conversation until the name of Stefan challenged me and I put my eyes on the fire while listening attentively.

"I feel like he's back on track."I suspected she was talking about his diet but I was not as positive about this topic as she was. Then I frowned in disagreement at her next statement knowing that she was wrong. "But he's tortured with guilt and it did not help that you've spent the last 145 years in punish him for what happened to Katherine. "

I had to stop myself from exploding on Elena to act so gullible when it came to things. She was just so naive. She simply spoke without thinking and judging things from the past without even knowing the truth.

It was right above me.

''Ha! Because it's my fault now."Damon decreed, annoyed, narrowing his eyes to Elena.

She had not stolen it.

"I was blaming anyone." Elena hastened to correct her mistake just to make the situation worse soon after, exasperating me to the point."All I said was that you were not a supplement innocent in this story. The only purpose of your life has been to make his hell."

I snapped my book closed suddenly in irritation, calling the attention of the other two and shook my head furiously raising myself raising puzzled perplexing on their two faces. Although Damon stared at me in surprise at my next words. "You don't know anything, so Elena stops acting like you know everything.''

Elena's eyes widened in shock and confusion to my shine as Damon narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously as I was already making my way outside the living room just to stop me in my bitter tone of my sister Elder.

"Because you know the truth, you, maybe?"

I turned around crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned on the open entrance of the doorway to the living room and crossed Damon's blue orbs before turning my attention to my pretentious sister.

''Indeed, I know enough more than you to know that everything is not black and white as you seem to think.'' I declared impassively, my calm almost calculating tone as Elena gauged me, shocked while Damon seemed really surprised by my intervention.

Of course, he probably did not expect me to know and still act as loyal or even impartial to Stefan about him. It may have been conceited on my part, but it was a hundred and forty-five years ago, none of this should count. I had always made my opinion clear on their quarrel and I would not change anytime soon.

"He said I didn't know everything." Elena said with a frown before turning her attention to me with a raised, inquisitive eyebrow. "Did he tell you everything?"

I looked back at Damon and kept my eyes on him. "Not all but enough. You should ask the other side of the story, Elena. "

Elena turned her attention back to Damon, and he rose abruptly, annoyed, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Yeah, no mood to dust off the ghosts of the past and explain my brother's examination of conscience. '' He declared categorically ready to leave but was not counting on Elena who threw herself behind him and almost begged him to tell her his side of the story.

I remained totally impassive and listened to Damon's story religiously, unlike Elena, who was decomposing as the truth exploded. It did not take me much more to understand that Stefan's guilt was simply about his brother. He had forced him to feed himself and thus, completed the transition against his will. He felt responsible for the monster he had become and for suppressing the part of humanity that remained in him. He felt himself a monster for that.

However, I knew that was wrong.

In many ways, Damon had not totally lost all humanity even though it was still a very sensitive topic for him. I could see him sometimes and the simple love he has for Elena was proof enough. I knew it was disturbing given Stefan's girlfriend and sister, but she was also Damon's only remnant of humanity and we could not ignore it. As for Stefan, he had never been a monster for me and will probably never be.

I took advantage of the intensity of the story that both shared to slip away since I had confirmation of my thoughts and headed straight for Stefan's cell. I calmly descended the stairs with a pensive expression when I simply halted with eyes wide open at the open door. I shook my head furiously to get out of my condition and ran straight for Stefan's cell simply to realize that my worst fear had come true.

I was looking for a little more for the vampire when I spotted Stefan's signet ring on the bench. I rushed to retrieve it in panic and Elena's words resurfaced in my mind.

The choice!

I jabbed my jaw in anger and went up the stairs four by four in a rage.

As soon as I was upstairs, I ran straight for the living room and ignored the puzzled looks I was getting on my way as I filled the gap between my sister and me and pushed her violently in a fit of rage.

"What did you do?" I exploded furiously as Elena stared at me wide-eyed as she tried to recover from her initial shock as I raised Stefan's ring in her face. "What choice? You gave him what choice? "

"I-what are you talking about, Mila?" Elena begged confused.

I raised my finger to point her in a warning."I swear to you that if something happens to him, you'll regret it."

With that, I turned around, ignoring Elena's cries and calls for an explanation and I left the boarding house before walking straight to my SUV. I climbed inside and switched on the ignition instantly before bursting out of the driveway. I had my idea where the vampire could have taken refuge but if it turned out I was right then I doubted it was a good sign.

He had shown me this clearing for a reason. It was the beginning.

When I arrived close enough to the edge of the forest, I stopped on the side of the road, barely worrying about my SUV still open and plunged without even thinking inside the dark woods. I was running as fast as my legs would allow and barely paying attention to the branches that came along my way.

All I had in mind was Stefan and this clearing that symbolized the beginning but could also symbolize the end.

My heart was beating fast in my chest and I did not know if it was my worry or the effort that was gaining the upper hand but I tended to think it was my concern for the vampire.

Finally, I made a hasty stop when I saw his back facing the river and realized where I had already seen this clearing.

Jeremy and I used to sneak under the supervision of our babysitter when we were younger. We thought we were explorers and discovered a lot of place in the forest, this clearing was part of it.

I was still swallowing out of breath and taking a step forward trying to calm my heartbeat."Stefan." The vampire turned to me at his name and I took one more step. "I know what happened. I knew I would find you here. "

"I should have died that night and stick to my decision. I should have let Damon die too."Stefan explained, his tormented look chilling me in the face.

I had to struggle to get out of my pain at the sight of the vampire and close my eyes to him. "You can't change the past or even what you did or what you know, Stefan but die tonight, would be of no use.''

"Whenever someone is hurt, every time someone loses their life, it's because of me." Stefan said with a tortured expression, breaking my heart a little more.

"Every choice, decisions we make have consequences, Stefan. We can decide to give up when it becomes too hard to bear."I refrained frowning in pain and pain." Or we can continue to live and try to do better."

"I was made to decide. And because of the one I took a lot of people have suffered."Stefan insisted, flogging himself in pain and guilt.

I shook my head in disagreement. "And how many people have you made happy? How many felt alive because of ... you, Stefan. You think you're a monster. Me, I see you as the only person who has managed to save my life. You gave me back what I thought was lost forever. You gave me hope. "

"No." Objected Stefan, his eyes darken with pain."Please, don't do that."

"You're stronger than that, Stefan." I tried, sure of myself. "Damn it, I'm stronger than that. We're stronger than this dark pain. This abyss of pain. You told me one day that I had to fight, that I had the courage and continue to live my life. That fear and pain had no control over us if we chose to fight. I chose to trust you now, it's up to you to trust me. "

"I can't." Barked Stefan and I had to do everything not to crack here and there.

I knew he had been broken and I suspected it would probably happen someday, but I never thought that I of all people would have been the one who told him to fight. I was not a fighter or even better able to help him.

If I was something, I was as broken as the vampire and I really did not know what gave me the strength to continue to help him.  
I took another step forward, filling the remaining gap between the vampire and me and put my eyes almost beseeching on him. '' Fight, Stefan. ''

"I can't, Mila!" Stefan pushed me away, tears coming to his eyes."It hurts me to die. I have a hard time dying to know what I did. This suffering ... This suffering doesn't leave me for a second. Every day, I think it would be enough. ... that I yield to the call of human blood so that I can make it disappear forever. It would be so easy. Every day, I fight against it ... I am terrified that courage can give up and that I lose all desire to continue fighting. The next time I hurt someone."Stefan looked down at me in pity and sorrow as I ended up cracking under Stefan's harsh words and tormenting him. "It's can be you."

"Maybe yes, maybe not." I agreed in defeat before continuing."But you'll never know if you decide to give up now."

"I already hurt you." Stefan pressed, narrowing his eyes at me in self-hatred and guilt.

''That's right.'' I admit, dull.''But I'm still here. I'm still here because I decided to fight for you. My choice is already made but you, you can take your signet ring, throw it in the quarry and wait for the sunrise. Either recover it and pass it on the finger. And continue to fight. ''

I gently took his hand, palm up and put the signet ring in the palm of his hand, keeping my eyes riveted on hers with hope. I sincerely hoped that he would make the right decision. He could not abandon me now, never. I could not keep fighting without him. I swallowed hard, keeping my tears to a halt as I turned around and started walking, biting hard on my lips to keep from crying.

Every step I took away from him was like a tear and I had never felt such pain. I felt like I was losing the healthy part that represented me and then I heard his voice. I froze in my steps thinking I might have imagined everything but he pronounced my name again. I slowly turned to look him, my eyes shining with tears and crossing his broken orbs before being encircled in a suffocating embrace. I clung to him as much as he held me in despair and buried my head in his chest enjoying the comforting smell.

It was going to be difficult but we were going to get out of it. I knew it. We could get by, together. I had to have faith for each of us.


	21. Chapter 21 : Prove me Wrong

**Chapter Twenty-One : Prove me wrong**

I braked the handbrake with determination, keeping my bluish eyes on the familiar front of the large colonial-style house.

That was it. It was the end of the silence for Felix.

After what happened recently with Stefan, I almost forgot about the absence of my other best friend.  
Well ! I said almost!  
I was always worrying about the boy and I was going to get answers to my questions.

I quickly cut the contact before unbuckling my seat belt and opened the door of my truck before jumping on my feet and slammed the metal door with a slam.

My gaze returned to the large facade with a slight apprehension and I let out a deep sigh before moving on with an air of calculation plastered on my face. I stopped right in front of the big colonial door and quickly raised my fist before letting it meet the hardwood. I hit three separate knocks and soon, several footsteps could be heard.

As I was alone on the doorstep, I could not stop this shiver from crawling down my veins and I glanced over my shoulder with apprehension. The last few months had made me very paranoid and I could not stop my instinct of checking every time I found myself alone. Then, a loud bang was heard and I jumped in spite of myself by simply returning to face the mother of Felix.

"Mila!" She exclaimed in a tone a little too ecstatic for me and I had to do everything not to wince at her volume. "It's been so long."

I absently nodded in my good old habits before catching up with my throat and formulating my thoughts. "Hum. Yes, indeed."I awkwardly looked at the woman in front of me before dancing on the tip of my feet as I plunged my hands into the pockets of my jeans." Uh, is Felix here? "

''Oh, yes, yes of course. Come in."She opened the door wider to allow me access and I gave a quick _thank-you_ nodding my head before looking anywhere for my best friend.

I was still not very comfortable with his mother and blamed her exuberant personality for it.

I turned around with expectant eyebrows and the brunette took a double-tap before nodding actively as if accompanying her inner speech before remembering that I probably could not read her mind. "Oh, sorry. He's in his bedroom.''

I nodded before climbing the stairs knowing the way by heart now and soon reached the door sign with the sign GET OUT. This panel was so cliché of American teenagers but I could not help but think that it corresponded perfectly to Felix. He was a rebellious teenager in many ways.

I released a new breath to gather all my ideas, preparing for what was to follow and folded the handle without bothering to hit. I was immediately engulfed in the darkness, and Felix's growls and protests were not long in being heard.

''I said I did not want to be disturbed. Go away, Mom! "

I heard the crash of an object against the wall and realized that I had just narrowly escaped a sneak attack and rushed to his window to avoid being hit next time. I pulled open the curtains and heard him grunt and curl up under his blanket. I rested my hands on my hips, staring at his curled-up figure under his comforter with a critical eye, realizing that all that was bothering him must be much more serious than I thought at first and bite the inside of my cheek in anxiety before taking a step forward and pulled his quilt with a sharp blow.

"I'm not your mother so now, you'll stop avoiding me and tell me what's fuck it's going on with you." I demanded, keeping my eyes fixed on his figure with a tone not giving way to no discussion.

Listening to my voice, Felix flicked his eyelids open and looked at me for a moment with wide eyes, opening and closing his mouth in disbelief and lack of words.

Now, I was more than worried.

I thought I would never see the day I could close Felix's mouth and yet he was there in front of me and wore a slightly panicked expression and trapped.

Finally he came out of his shock and let out a tired sigh."What are you doing here, Mila?"

"I could ask you the same question." I said as I sat next to him before taking a softer expression. "What's wrong with you, Felix?"

Felix gauged me carefully, probably waiting for me to drop the subject before sighing again, and rolled on his back, keeping his eyes on his ceiling leaving me with a deep sense of anxiety and worry in my chest. There was a long silence between us as I waited patiently for him to open to me when he finally turned his head towards me letting me see a tear flowing down his cheek.

''You're not going to drop the subject right? '' He asked in a hoarse and emotional voice and I quickly took his hand in mine to bring him little support that I could.

I sincerely wanted to be there for him and I wanted him to know it. I knew that I had favored my friendship with Stefan for far too long and that had only brought me to situations of imminent death. As much as it was selfish on my part, Felix reminded me of the other world. The one where the vampires did not have places of beings and where the humans and the normality reigned. That was what I wanted, what I was looking for and I needed Felix for that.

Felix tightened my hand and let out a shaking breath."Do you remember the Founders' Ball? When my dad took me aside."

I frowned slightly at it, not really understanding how it mattered but nodded silently all the same to show that I was still listening.

"He didn't want to have a conversation between men. In fact, it was just the opposite."I stared at him even more confused, not really knowing what to say and waited patiently for the rest. "My mother was there, too. It was probably the first time I saw her with a serious expression. Can you imagine?" He let out a nervous laugh at the end of his diatribe and I forced myself to smile despite my state of worry and confusion.

"It must have been a shock." I tried to play down with a chuckle of my own.

Felix let a sad little smile cross his features before resuming a frown and an expression of exasperation leaving me even more worried.

This war of feeling did not resemble him.

He had lost his usual enthusiastic mood and seemed far too serious. I did not know what had happened that night but it had changed him.

Suddenly, he let out a frustrated grunt, breaking my observation and pulled me off a little startle of surprise."God, I just have to spit it out. It's not that difficult. "

''Felix ... ''

"My father is not my biological father."Interrupted Felix in a mouthful and I stared him into shock and disbelief.

I was totally speechless for what seemed like an eternity, my mouth struggling for words before I finally managed to recover from my initial shock and turned to my best friend who seemed about to cry at that moment. I really did not know what to say or do to try to fix things but I was sure that I could probably never do anything to help him on this point. I decided to do what I was best at and surrounded him in a comforting embrace and rested my head on his shoulder as he took advantage of the comfort I brought him. We didn't move of our embrace until Felix spoke back by hugging but keeping a grip on my hands.

"Mila, I know who my biological father is."

I raised my eyebrows at that, noticing Felix's darker expression and knowing that everything he was going to tell me was just going to be even worse than he had already told me.

Only, I certainly did not expect what would follow.

"My biological father is Richard Lockwood, Mila. He's the freaking father of Tyler Lockwood. ''

One would think that when we learn this kind of thing our mind would go into nothingness but it was far from the truth.

At that moment, heaps of thoughts were fucking with my mind and I could not even follow the train of my thought so much everything had gone crazy.

I struggled with myself to react rather than continue to watch Felix like a fish and wanted to hit me right there and there at the first thing that passed my lips. '' So, you and Tyler are half-brothers? ''

Of course, my conclusion appealed as much to Felix as to me, and he gave me a deadly glow before he let out an exasperating growl.

"I have nothing to do with this _jerk_." He let out coldly clenching his fists in a tight ball and the cold expression and pure hatred on his face made me shudder during the space of a moment.

A flash of memory of an aggressive and angry Felix crossed my mind before I furiously shook my head cursing myself to even imagine something like that. Felix and Tyler may have the same father, but they had nothing in common. They were totally opposed and it was not because I had just learned that they were related that I automatically had the partners together. However, a part of me could not help but dread Felix's excessive reactions like Tyler's anger.

Then again, Felix luckily did not benefit from the presence of Richard Lockwood in his life as Tyler and after seeing what dick the man was, I could not deny the evidence that he certainly had to be the reason for the Tyler's anger. With a father like his, anyone would become an arrogant asshole.

I had been so full of my thoughts on all the news that I had not noticed Felix fighting with himself to get hold of his shredding mood and widening my eyes in disbelief when I noticed his deadly unstable expression.

Even though the idea had never crossed my mind before, it now looked much more like Tyler than I could admit. His angry expression and the internal struggle he seemed to have reminded me a lot of the big stupid high school teenager football star who used to confront my little brother for a fight. I had never seen Felix so angry before and strangely, I felt these familiar alarm bells telling me to run the other way.

Only, as for Stefan, it seems that I can't listen to them when it comes to my other best friend. Instead of running, I sat up on my feet and took a cautious step, swallowing my saliva before touching his shoulder with a hesitant hand.

At first, Felix pushed me away with an abrupt gesture making me look wide-eyed with a slight ball in my stomach but I was fighting this instinct and returned to the charge before closing my arms completely around his chest and give him a soothing hug that seemed this time, to have its effect.

After staying much longer than I should, I had left Felix with a promise to return soon under penalty of reprisals but still had to clarify my opinion on the situation as a whole. Mr. Fell may not have been his biological father but he was the one who raised him and no matter who helped his conception it should not change his perception of things. After all, it seems that his father had accepted the situation and if he could then Felix should be able to make his own choices now.

Well, I probably could not imagine the two Lockwood sons becoming great friends, but it was not because Felix knew it was the same for Tyler.

In any case, I doubted that Carol Lockwood would be willing to endure this humiliation in the eyes of the whole city.

* * *

With my visit to the Fell, I once again missed my first classes and when I parked in the high school parking lot, most of the students seemed to have gathered for their lunch time.

I unbuckled my belt before getting off my SUV and started walking towards the school gates to attend the rest of my classes. I had given Stefan time because I knew he needed it for himself just as I needed to get back to the normal things of my life and knew it was the best choice I could make.

Only after crossing paths with Jeremy when I was in the corridors reminded me that normal things had become confused with natural things, and I could not stop my emotions from getting even more upset when I met Bonnie with Caroline.

It seemed like the high school was much more complicated than I thought and part of me, regretted the moments when I could walk safely down the halls of high school.

At the time, only my black thoughts and depressed mind were my preoccupations now I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders and I hated it.

I was walking right past an empty classroom when I felt a tug on my arm and even before I could blink my eyes, I was locked in that same classroom. Damon was standing all the way up to me and staring at me with an expression that seemed boring as usual.

''Where did you go? '' He asked or rather hissed with a scowl as if I were a five-year-old kid who was took with the hands in the cookie jar making me raise an eyebrow in pure boredom.

"Seriously? Block me in empty classrooms now? Can you act even more like a scary stalker?"I returned with a sardonic accent in my tone as I gauged him trying to fight the blush on my cheeks at the thought of our last confrontation.

It was not the best memory I could remember. I had typically acted as a hormonal teenager and I was certainly not ready to feel that fire again in my lower abdomen.

"As much as I'm enjoying our little verbal sparring, we currently have much smaller problems on the Elena stratosphere." Damon retorted, just as bored if not more than before as he gave me a look that challenged me to contradict him.

I let out a small sigh as I ran my hand down my face knowing that all this would still have to do with the supernatural before turning my gaze on Damon. '' Well, of course that has to do with Elena. So, what's going on? "

Damon let an expression of surprise return to his features before frowning thickly on me as he tried to uncover any mystery.

'' What? That's all? Will you listen to me? Not even a joke or sarcasm?"He questioned with a sarcastic tone that made me want to hit his oh so perfect face of pretentious vampire.

I was growing my arms on my chest, raising my chin impatiently."Salvatore. Your point."

"Fine, fine."The vampire sighed before letting a smirking smile fill his lips, already preparing me for the next boring remark."God, someone is authoritarian today. Still under the effect of frustrations not satisfied? ''

I was fighting the embarrassment that threatened to take hold of my face and swallowed before frowning in the growing irritation. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not frustrated ..." Smile on the face of the vampire only seemed to accentuate at my little speech and I ran my fingers through my tight curls in the spoliation before letting out an exasperated growl. '' Argh! It doesn't matter. I'm giving up.''

I was planning to make me clearly not in the mood to face the little games of the spirit of the vampire but I had hardly taken a step that I felt his firm grip on my arm making me turn around and land my two hands flat on his tonic chest, sparking unwelcome chills at the back of my neck at the mere touch.

"Dam-my-" I croaked awkwardly before raising my blue eyes to meet his own and saw his mischievous little smile as he closed his muscular arms around my little body.

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon liked to get under the skin of the little brunette. Her reactions and the little blush of innocence crawling down her cheeks seemed to satisfy the predator in him but there was something more.

He knew that jousting and fighting meant much more. The little girl he was holding in his arms was more than he could admit. He did not know everything

Just not what yet.

"Mila." He called back, his voice as low and warm as a purring sound against the shell of her ear made him smile when he felt her thrill.

It was so easy to get under the skin of the teenager.

 _ **Mila POV**_

I was fighting the flow of emotions he was stirring inside my chest and I risked hitting his chest with irritation before pushing my hands to get a semblance of space before bombarding him with boredom.

''Stop doing that! "I mumbled between my teeth as I pointed his chest to mine with irritation.

Damon raised an eyebrow feigning surprise, forcing me to shrink my look at the vampire in exasperation before stomping."Just tell me what the hell is going on or I'll just go to Stefan. ''

As soon as the words had passed my lips, I knew that I had passed one of the narrow limits of the vampire and if I was not used to these threats of life or death perpetual, I would certainly be scared but I had clearly enough and just wanted already to be done what was with all the fuss to be able to find a solution with the problem.

Honestly, I did not know when I had become so tired of all his supernatural stuff, but it seemed that no matter what was happening, my mind did not really grasp the importance of things. A voice in the back of my mind, whispered to me that I was probably just still in a state of shock considering everything that had happened during the last months but I chose to ignore it and took a step back when Damon stepped on me, sporting a cold, calculating air as he seemed in a fight not to tear my head here and there.

I hit the old table still chalked up in my attempt to escape the vampire's bloody shine and could not stop the bile forming in my throat as my eyes traveled from one arm to another as he had locked me in a cage and lowered his stormy blue eyes on me.

''You know I don't take the ultimatums very well, Mila.''He reminded, dark as he arched his head to the side, emphasizing his predatory nature, and I had to do everything I could to keep from escaping a tremor with his threatening air.

I had to remember that even though Damon was still able to kill me, he would not dare to do that because of Elena.

Sometimes my sister could be helpful. Which reminded me why I was in this position in the first place.

I let out a sigh, trying to keep my expression completely unmoved, and looked up from blue-gray baby eyes and bit the inside of my cheek to hold a sarcastic note as I realized he was still wearing that menacing look. I knew it was too important for him to still act like the bad guy even though I now knew the real truth. The memory of Stefan had shown me what a Damon man had been once and even though the years and his nature had changed him to what he was today, I was always conscious of his humanity. It was a thin bet but that was all I could get hold of when it came to the vampire.

I was already feeling the headache on the surface of my mere contradictory thoughts and letting my head hit the wall behind me, closing my eyes as I let out a disillusioned sigh.

"Fine." I ceded, keeping my eyes closed. "Damon Salvatore would you kindly tell me what's going on in the damn supernatural world so that I can finally attend the rest of my classes?''

I felt my arms shut myself away, followed closely by a vampire curse that made me open my eyelids and shrink my eyes impatiently."Hm. Good if you're so interested to know. "I rolled my eyes at his nonchalant air." Mommy dearest is back! And she wants a big interview with her dear little girl. "

I widened my eyes in disbelief completely ignoring his nonsense before stammering slightly to get a clear answer. '' A meeting? And Elena to accept? Of course, she accepted. But what does she think? ''

"Oh, I don't know. Surely pick up the pieces and get a happy ending with unicorns and all that stuff that you teenagers dream of getting."Damon said shrugging obviously trying to act uninterested even though I could see through his mask and I sighed annoying before checking my jaw.

"Can you just be serious for a minute?" I wondered, raising my hands to the ceilling before pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration.

A wide smirk graced his lips as he moved closer to me and let his minty breath drag on my face."Why be serious when I can be fun?"

"Argh!" I growled, pushing his face with my hand before starting to walk to the exit. "I'm going to talk to Elena. It seems she has lost any sense if she even dared to make a deal with the devil. "

I was hoping that Damon would leave me alone after that, but it seems like the vampire had a different idea in mind as he walked unashamedly by my side as if the place belonged to him.

"What now?" I snapped, clenching my fists to contain my exasperation.

''Nothing. I just like to see your face get that red color of pure rage."He retorted, teasing me back as I raised my arm to hit him with all my might just to see with a grunt of pure rage he had disappeared.

* * *

Well, how to say that talking with Elena had been like talking to a wall?

She was just the most stubborn person I knew and had decided to make my life hell. The worst thing was that Stefan being the mad love boyfriend had rather adhered to her point of view than mine. I would obviously blame him but again, he was very persuasive. The fact that Isobel was ready to put the city to the point of fire for my sister's face might have tipped the scales too.

So I was standing next to Stefan watching my sister squirm on one of the stools of the Grill as the last time Jeremy and I had shed scratch in her underwear. The memory made me smile slightly before a faint frown tingled my face at the thought of the current relationship that I shared with my twin.

A slight touch against my shoulder beckoned me and I broke my eyes on the vampire by my side to realize he was staring at me with a concerned expression.

''What's on your mind? ''

"Believe me, you don't want to know." I replied in a clumsy laugh, hoping he would drop interest but who was I fooled? It was Stefan after all.

With what had happened in recent weeks, he seemed even more concerned about my mental state and I could not really blame him but I needed some time for myself. I needed my thoughts to be only for myself. As he was about to question me, I saw Elena turn her head in our direction and gave him a nod that drew the vampire's attention to my older sister. I was watching the bar without much interest as they shared a silly moment when I saw a dark-haired woman make her way straight to my sister's empty table.

Even if I was a bit far, I would recognize the woman of the picture anywhere and my brain immediately sought for similar characteristics between my sister and this woman.

''Well. It starts."I whispered to myself more than anything else but I knew that Stefan had heard me as his hand was soon placed in my smallest followed by a slight pressure of comfort as I looked at both brunettes converse.'' What are they saying? ''

"It's not going very well. She's just going around your sister's questions. "

I turned my attention to the back of the vampire with a ball in the stomach knowing that it did not bode well when Elena's face went pale in panic before her gaze focused on Stefan and myself.

Isobel's face turned to us in a split second and I knew instantly that we were discovered. The sheer brilliance she sent in my way made me shudder and my hair rose in terror. Then she turned around and started again her conversation with my sister as if nothing had happened. I was getting really bored with it when I felt Stefan stiffen at my side before, he turned his gaze to me.

"She knows your uncle."The vampire informed me. "Apparently, she would be looking for an invention from your ancestor, Jonathan Gilbert. "

I frowned in the confusion becoming more and more felt by all those damn vampire stories when Elena tried to leave just to get stopped abruptly by Isobel. Stefan started to step forward to help Elena but it seems that Isobel had the upper hand here as Elena stopped him with a taut nod.

There were more words exchanged before Isobel's piercing gaze narrowed at me making me look at Stefan in fear as it seemed that he, the vampire and my sister had all finished their fields of visions on me.

"Stefan, what's going on?" I called in a croak pulling on his sleeve as apprehension grew in my chest as the woman narrowed her glare on me.

"She says Damon has the invention and you and Elena could get it."He stated tense as he measured me carefully.

As I predicted, everything seemed to go down to hell.

* * *

Now that I found myself wandering through the groups of students taking care of the floats and other fun for the famous parade, I could not help but wonder if the next few years would be all as chaotic as this one.

I knew that Stefan and Damon would not leave the city in a long time and even if it reassured me, part of me was still panicked as to what would happen next.

I was so engrossed in my apocalyptic thoughts that I did not even care where I went and soon hit a shoulder full force.

''Oh ! Oh! "I groaned, grabbing my shoulder in pain before looking up from the ground to meet the familiar brown orbs of none other than Tyler Lockwood." Seriously, Lockwood? "

"Sorry Gilbert, I was not really looking where I was going." He apologized gruffly, barely aware of me, and a shaggy blonde hair flash walking the other way made me realize the reason for his stunned state.

I rubbed my shoulder up and down before nodding my head in understanding as I was still following the retreating form of the back quarter. "I see. Matt, huh? "

Tyler glanced over his hesitant shoulder before shifting his attention back to me, nodding,"Yeah, Matt."

"Well, I can kind of understand that." I said, shrugging, nonchalant."You kissed his mother, man, and then you hit him bad enough. Like bad.''

"It wasn't like that." Tyler moaned nervously bouncing off the ball of his feet before sighing, sizing me carefully, "I don't even know why I'm telling you this. You would understand nothing. ''

He passed me with his usual attitude of high school jerk and in normal times, I probably would have just cursed him and continued my merry way but a voice inside my mind reminded me to stop him. I really did not know why I suddenly wanted to put up with that pretentious idiot but all I knew was the next thing that passed my lips.

''Ow! Lockwood! Can you act even more like an asshole?"I hiccupped by flicking my hands in the back pockets of my jeans and realized that my diatribe seemed to have some impact on the boy since he had stopped and stared at me now with an arched eyebrow.

"What can you do anyway? Huh?"He snapped, narrowing his dark orbs to my small form.

I pretended to think before shrugging my shoulders while a cynical smile settled on my lips."Yeah, you are reason after all. Rejecting anyone who could help you is certainly the best solution. "

I was walking back, starting to walk with a smirk knowing that it would only be a matter of time before he would give in and as I predicted, the boy hailed my name, making me turn around with an arched eyebrow in the inquisition.

Tyler stopped at my height and examined me for a moment in uncertainty. "Why do you want to help me? "

I repressed a grimace at that, not knowing the answer to that myself before raising my shoulders again.

Ow! I really shrug my shoulders.

I frowned at my obvious lack of concentration before turning my attention to the tall boy who was now weighing me expectantly making me roll my eyes in boredom.

"People don't always have hidden motives Lockwood." I declared more annoyed than anything else, and the brunet raised his eyebrows in a slight surprise before resuming a defeated look.

"Fine."He sighed in a deep, melodramatic breath that made me pinch the bridge of my nose in impatience.

"You know what?" I asked in a bitter tone, changing my mind as I raised my hands in surrender. "It was a bad idea. Forget even that we talked to each other. "

I was walking backwards cursing myself silently for even trying when I felt a light tug on my forearm making me want to roll my eyes when I realized it was only Tyler.

''Hold on! I did not want to say that like that."He assured me, arching an expectant eyebrow before frowning when I saw he was in some sort of internal fight." That's so weird. I don't understand it myself. "

"Ok, Tyler. What you don't understand? "I asked, taking the liberty to reach his arm and give him a reassuring tug.

"It's going to sound crazy." He declared, nervously shifting his hands in his shaggy haircut looking really worried.

I crossed my arms over my chest, carefully gauging the boy."Believe me, after the last few months, I believe that even if you told me that Santa Claus exists, I would believe you."

Tyler hoisted a strange expression to my myth of choice as it he wanted to ask questions before simply frowning, shaking his head.''Hey, if I told you that I have no memory of that night or even the night when your brother and I fought. "

I widened my eyes to this discovery before frowning in perplexity. "Wait, when you say no memory. You mean, no memory like you take steroids and that gives you a memory loss or? "

Tyler gave me an impatient glare clearly not amused by my attempt and I rolled my eyes, raising my hands to the sky. "Okay. Care to explain in this case? "

I did not even have time to blink that he already had his hand around my arm and I was hanging around with him, looking closely at the surroundings.

"I mean, I have blackouts. I'm always angry and sometimes, it's like my anger is gaining the upper hand and I can't do anything to stop it, and it makes me freak out."

An alarm bell rang in the back of my mind at that and I could not help but make a slight connection with Felix's recent strange behavior. I had always been aware of Lockwood's impulsive behavior. He had never been the last in a fight but if I had done enough attention to the night when he and Jeremy had fought, I would have certainly been more aware of the difficulty with which Matt had had to fight Tyler to take him of my brother.

For anyone it might just be a serious anger management problem, but with all that has happened in recent months, I could not stop my mind from noticing the strange things.

"Ok!" I agreed, stopping to look closely at Tyler. "Do you mean that you really have no control?"

Brown nodded gravely and I was about to ask another set of questions when I noticed my twin walking quickly in our direction with a determined expression making me want to moan in anticipation.

I did not have time to formulate a sentence that my twin had already grabbed my arm and gave me an uncompromising cold stare. '' We need to talk! Now! ''

Of course, as if it was not enough that my twin hated me for lying to him, Tyler just decided at that moment to act like a gentleman and pushed Jeremy away.

"You allow? I was there before."

Jeremy went back and forth between Tyler and me by checking his jaw and I knew that a future confrontation could easily result from this conversation if I did not stop these two immediately.

And with what I had just learned, getting Jeremy in a fight with Tyler was the last thing I wanted. I interposed between the two quickly and put my hand flat on Tyler's chest to keep him away.

"It's okay, Tyler." I warned him with an insistent look to make him catch the message. "We'll talk later. I promise.''

The two boys swirled up a bit longer before Tyler took a step back and turned his attention back to me before turning around.

I let out a small sigh of relief by facing Jeremy simply to meet his deadly glare. "Can I know what you're doing with this douchebag?"

Honestly, I really was not in the mood for a fight with my twin.

"It's not your business, Jer." I snapped, not having the patience to undergo his interrogation."What do you want?"

"Yeah, you're right."He said coldly in his voice."After all, it's so much easier to lie to me so why should I know?"

"Seriously?" I was tired of all this. "Are you planning to blame us for a long time? I admit, it was a mistake, OK but believe me, once you know, you can't get out. "

My words seemed just more annoyed at him as he took a step forward with an exasperating expression. "You didn't just lie to me. You forced me to forget. "

I recoiled under the anger of his tone and ran a trembling hand down my face in guilt before returning my eyes to my twin."Listen, Jer ..."

"It doesn't matter."He snapped."I just came over to see if you had seen Anna?"

Just then, two familiar silhouettes caught my attention and I saw Bonnie and Elena come out quickly through the school gates and sweep the place as if they were looking for something or rather someone. I was not long in crossing Bonnie's emerald green orbs and according to her expression, I knew I had to make a quick exit.

I was still not reconciled with the witch's actions, and I honestly thought it would probably take a long time for me to fully put my trust back in her hands.

I turned my attention to Jeremy and shook my head negatively. "I don't know where Anna is, but look, there's Elena, you can go and ask her."

I took advantage of the distraction I had made to quickly turn around while keeping an eye on the witch Bennett and began to actively accelerate my pace when I saw her follow me from afar.

I was hitting the high school parking lot and scooting almost to fill the gap between my SUV and me. I pulled my keys into the back pocket of my jeans to unlock the doors in a rush and honestly thought I could escape the witch when I finally reached my door driver but was not counting on the persistence of the brunette.

"Mila! Wait! "Bonnie stopped me making me break my stern look at her form as I froze in my action. '' Mila, you need to listen to me. Just listen to me. Please.''

I stayed longer by biting the inside of my cheek knowing that my determination diminished with each of her words and ended up letting out a long sigh by slamming my closed door to stare.

''Fine, what do you want, Bonnie? "

I could see the growing anger within the witch Bennett as her intense gaze squealed as she clenched her hands in fists.

"Listen, I'm not going to apologize for what I did."She declared categorically and I rolled my eyes beyond annoyed.

It was just a waste of time.

I turned to reach the door again and kept my voice low and cold."And we done here."

I was trying to get my door open but a familiar click sounded in the empty parking lot despite the brunette and me and I clenched my fists into a ball as I realized it was another witch's trick.

"Bonnie!" I hissed clearly not in the mood for her little magic tricks.

"I know that kind of invention is looking for Isobel." Bonnie leached in a last attempt to get my attention and I turned abruptly to study her in silence with a raised eyebrow.

"Why are you telling me that?" I asked skeptically.

Bonnie looked a bit higher as she folded her arms over her chest, knowing she had my attention now. "Because you helped me when I asked you, and because even if you think otherwise, you're my friend. "

I was copying her position not ready to give up so easily. "I thought you wanted to keep yourself as far away as possible from vampire affairs."

It seemed to crack her confident mask a little, but she soon regained control. "Well, obviously, neither you nor Elena expect to stay away from the vampires so if I can prevent another psycho vampire from being in the city, I'll do the right thing. ''

* * *

After that, we did not really have time to argue anymore since a call from Elena completely panicking had totally thrown me on the edge of hysteria. It seems that Elena's psychopathic mother had caused Matt's unfortunate accident with the tank and kidnapped my twin as a threat. She wanted invention at all costs, which made no sense since Bonnie had finally explained to me that it was a weapon against the vampires themselves.

All this was getting even crazier than I imagined, and the ditch of worry in my stomach was getting bigger as the minutes passed. I could not believe that my brother's life was now on the line because of all this supernatural crap. He was all that remained to me and I had a chance to lose him.

I hit my head for the twentieth time against the desk I sat on as Bonnie turned to Stefan, Elena, and myself.

"This instrument, do you have it?" She asked hastily.

Stefan's answer was instantaneous making my heart tighten more in worry. "It's Damon who has it. It will not be easy to convince him. "

"Then you must go see him. "Assured Elena at once, pacing up and down, exasperating me to the highest degree with her naivety." I can do it. I'll go talk to him. "

Of course, she thought that her charm was going to be the answer to all her problems. I really did not know what kept me from exploding right now. We really did not have time to act stupid and brainless.

It was Jeremy and this woman had already proved how bad she was.

I really could not believe that we had reached that point. It was what I had always wanted to avoid and now, Jeremy demonstrated the perfect example.

''He will not give it to anyone. '' Objected Stefan and it doesn't help to relieve my shredder mood.'' Especially if it's dangerous for vampires. ''

However, he was right and the worst part of all this was that I could not really blame Damon. Who would want to put in the hands of his enemy, the ultimate weapon that could destroy them.

It did not make sense.

But she had Jeremy and no matter how much my understanding grasped the importance of the issues, I could not do anything other than give her what she wanted. They held us and nothing we could do could change that. I did not care if she threatened our lives but she had found our Achilles heel. My weak point and I would never forgive myself if something happened to Jeremy through our fault.

If only Bonnie could counter Emilie's fate on the compass then we could at least deliver the invention without any problem but that was not ...

Elena sighed just as I suddenly straightened my head from the desk, calling all attention to my sudden action.

''That's it! '' I exclaimed as I jumped up before turning to Bonnie in a hurry. '' Just make the invention unusable. ''

As soon as the words had left my lips, we had all worked out theories to make this possible and we were now sitting right in the middle of the boarding lounge while Elena was finishing explaining the plan to Damon who seemed more on point to break her neck only to adhere to our idea.

"That's absolutely out of the question." Refused categorically Damon, narrowing his eyes to Elena, who was trying as best she could to stand up to the vampire.

It was obvious that she was going the wrong way and I did not know which of the two I wanted to hit the most for their idiots. My nerves were currently reaching their limits and I was about to explode on the vampire.

Elena took another step forward while Stefan, Bonnie and I were the spectators of this argument."But listen to me at least ..."

''I will not give this instrument to Isobel so that she can turn it over to John who will change sides and kill me. '' Damon decreed holding his foot and surprising me while exasperating me. I would have thought Elena's sweet eyes might be enough, but finally, the last few months might have been good for something. Of course, he continued with a sarcastic note, rolling my eyes in irritation."I am a living dead man who loves life."

"But if Bonnie made it unusable."Elena catching the skeptical vampire's gaze on the witch Bennett, who astonished held her head high and confident against the dark-haired vampire.

"I don't know why, I doubt." Damon said, his sarcastic and cynical tone aggravating my nerves.

At that, Bonnie jumped to her feet and walked alongside Elena to hold her ground as she glared at the vampire and spoke intelligibly."I can cancel Emilie's spell."

"Hm!" Elena sighed, raising a condescending eyebrow."John and Isobel will see nothing."

I really did not know what was holding me back from not interrupting all that little useless act. We were wasting time for nothing and watching Elena's verbal battle, Damon and Bonnie only increased my irritation.

''It's no. "Barked Damon forcing me to throw a shrapnel on his person over Stefan's shoulder before checking my jaw at his next words.""But don't worry, I'll pick up Jeremy otherwise."

I jumped slightly the next as Stefan jumped to his feet. '' Ah! Yeah. And how are you going to do it? Hum! "I crossed my arms over my chest like the youngest vampire kept from approaching Damon to try to cross his thick skull." Because Isobel is also a vampire who can kill Jeremy the second you enter.''

There was a long, tense silence after that before Damon stared at Bonnie across the room. ''Do you have the level for that? Not to offend you. Because you're not Emilie Bennett. Emilie knew what she was doing. "

"I trained well." Bonnie announced as I let out a deep, frustrated sigh, letting my head fall back against the back of the leather sofa I sat on.

"It's not music theory, honey." Damon retorted ironically and I did not know what was next, but it seemed like I had reached my limit.

''That's it! I'm done listening to all of you. All the way you are."I exploded furiously, jumping on my feet before narrowing my eyes at Damon with irritation, pointing at him." You! "I skirted Stefan to face the vampire. "This damn invention is currently the only thing that keeps my brother alive, okay. He is in this situation because of us. All of us and it is out of the question that I let him die for this damn piece of metal. "I screamed at that point and my chest went up and down at a jerky pace forcing me to calm down so I could continue my diatribe."Damon, give us invention, please."

I felt the stormy bluish orbs plummet over me as an intensity radiated until Bonnie took another confident step forward. '' Give me a book title. ''

"Sorry?" Asked the vampire, drawing his attention away from the heart-shaped face of the youngest Gilbert in front of him.

 _ **Damon POV**_

He knew what baby Gilbert had for Mila and at the very beginning, he was really surprised that she was not the one trying to convince him to give her the invention.

She had sat with her arms crossed with that pouting exasperation that he knew so well now and wondered when she would finally reach her breaking point?

He had become accustomed to her blows and even if he would probably never confess out loud, the brunette sometimes had some influence over him.

As Damon thought of how much power the youngest Gilbert could have on him, the witch caught his attention with a tinge between bitterness and boredom. Not that he was judging after all, he had killed her grandmother. These little judges did not particularly like him.

'' A book, any one, '' Bennett demanded before pointing to the library behind him. '' But you have it here.''

 _ **Mila POV**_

I glanced aside at Bonnie's not sure about her plan before turning my attention to the dark vampire who was taking more than enough time to pretend to think.

"Mm. A good book," He mused aloud before tucking his bluish orbs with a mischievous smile on Bonnie. "I don't know, I'm going to say, _**The Forest Call**_ Jack London. "I raised an eyebrow in slight surprise at his reading choice before noticing Bonnie turning to the library and just like that, she levitated a book across the room to Damon who caught it before looking at the blanket slightly impressed and surprised. "Jack London."

Only his surprise lasted only a moment as he quickly resumed his condescending expression before throwing the book on the sofa like a vulgar object. This guy badly needed to respect the masterpieces that these books were.

''You'd be famous at the library.'' Damon sarcastic commented, rolling my eyes.

Then, when I thought that argument could not be more interesting Elena took a furious step forward and stood face to face with Damon.

"We're going to play it like that. And we'll play it my way. So, give it to me and quickly. "

A small smirk crossed my face at Elena's audacity before giving way to an annoyed frown when Damon thought again.

"Damon, we really have no time to lose." I warn him, annoying.

The vampire gauged me for a moment as in internal debate with himself before he turned his gaze on Bonnie again. "I have no confidence in you. That's why I wanted to kill you. "

''Hm! Normal."A tense grin adorned Bonnie's brown lips just making me want to hit the palm of my hand on my face with these two."You'd be wrong to trust me. "

Seriously? These two were worse to watch than Elena, herself and Damon.

It was really a waste of time and if we continued like that then we could stay here until this Isobel patient performed my twin.

I stopped biting nervously on my thumb and raised my hands to the ceilling in a desperate last act that caught the attention of Damon and Bonnie. "And I don't trust either of you. How charming! "I grumbled, sending a shine in their path before I turned completely to Damon."Only if your competence in an act of trust is weak, you know you can trust me."

My bluish orbs met Damon's and a long silence settled between us as our exchange intensified despite myself. I did not know why I felt this kind of traction at that moment, but I just wanted to look into his eyes a little longer. I needed him and no matter what I kept telling myself, part of me knew that Damon was not just what he tended so hard to portray.

Finally, with one last sigh, he took his eyes off my form, scanning each other's people in the room and ending up resetting Elena's invention.

''Thank you. ''

I stayed back as Elena accepted the watch before crossing Damon's blue orbs again and miming a mute thank you before turning my attention back to Bonnie and Stefan. I stayed back, my arms crossed over my chest as Bonnie was eradicating the instrument and leaned against one of the shelves as I bit nervously on my thumb. I simply could not stop my thoughts from turning around Jeremy and the ball inside my stomach was growing in anxiety.

I knew that everything was our fault.

As much to Elena as to me.

We were the ones who decided to rub shoulders with the supernatural and because of us, we had plunged our friends into all this.  
I was so plunged in my auto-pity that I did not notice at first sight, the vampire to stand by my side until he made himself known with one of his famous annoying remarks.

"Hum." Sighed Elder Salvatore with a teasing accent in his voice."I know this brooding forehead. Don't frown or you will have wrinkles. ''

I did not know his presence for an extra couple of minutes before faintly escaping my fears from my mind. "Do you think it'll work?"

"It depends on bidiboo over there." He said nonchalantly as he kept his eyes on Bonnie who was currently in a candle circle and sang in Latin the fate of her spell book.

Suddenly, the flames intensified and I held a roll of my eyes as Elena snuggled closer to Stefan's side before he told her to watch as the light returned to normal.

''It's done. That's it." Announced Bonnie, resuming the invention before handing it to Elena.

I did not really know why but a feeling of doubt settled in the back of my mind and when Bonnie intentionally avoided looking at me, I could not help thinking that something was out. The hairs on my arms bristled like a warning sign and I was so engrossed in my silent observation of the brunette that I missed most of the conversation between Elena and Damon until he abruptly left the room with an annoyed expression plastering on his face.

* * *

I literally had to fight with Elena to accompany her to the park but eventually she finally gave in when I reminded her that Jeremy was just as important to me as he was to her.

So now I stood in the middle of the park, flanking Elena's side and scanning the surroundings for any sign of Elena's evil mother.

"Any sign of psycho vampire?" I asked sarcastically as I turned around and had to hold back a slight cry of surprise when I came face to face with the said vampire.

"Where's the instrument?" Queried the vampire instantly, gauging me with a creepy grin.

If Damon had been scary before, he was nothing against this woman. She oozed pure evil and if it was not for Jeremy then I would turn around taking my legs to my neck. It was just a warning bell in my mind that was screaming for me to run.

However, I forced myself to take a step forward and narrowed my gaze on the woman."Where is our brother?"

The woman instantly lost her smirk and if it was still possible looked even more frightening as she retorted darkly."There is nothing to negotiate here. Where's the invention? ''

"Mila ask a question." Elena slammed as she acted astonishingly confident about the sick vampire. I could never understand how Elena could underestimate people so much. "Where is our little brother?"

Once again Isobel eluded the question and I felt my heart quicken more like two vampires coming out of the grove supporting her words."You think me stupid enough to come alone."

"Ha!" I could not help but leave a condescending smile on my lips as Elena challenged her, "You thought we were stupid enough to come alone."

Just at that moment, several footprints could be heard and soon the two Salvatore brothers were behind Isobel who stared at them for a moment before turning to us with a tense smile.

''Hum! Hmm! "Isobel turned to us, rolling her eyes bored." Good, call to your house! ''

I frowned slightly at that, just like Elena's word of surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I'm telling you to call and ask to talk to Jeremy," Isobel said annoyingly, slowly losing her patience.

Elena complied quickly, giving me an anxious look before an air of relief ran slowly over her face as her interlocutor answered. I looked back at the bloody vampire and could easily understand that she had respected her share of the bargain. My brother was safe and sound, but that did not prevent her from waiting for the invention.

I watched as Elena finished the call before turning to Isobel with a sudden new air of confidence."Anyway, you would never hurt him."

Honestly, I just wanted to hit her until she finally came out of her little world of fairy tale. She was skewed and that would end up all leading us to our death.

''No. But I was about to kill him ... "Isobel supported me as I swallowed the simple mental image of my twin lying on the ground without life. "No need to look for a quality that would redeem me. I don't have one. "

"Now, don't feel special." I intervened in a surge of courage as I narrowed my gaze on the woman with pure hatred. "Elena can't help but want to fix everyone she thinks broken. She's just in denial. ''

I did not know the cold stare that my older sister sent me as Isobel threw me daggers along the way and crossed my arms over my chest with smugness.

"You took a big risk with Damon." Elena said, making me raise an eyebrow in confusion as to why she was asking that. "How did you know he would give it to me?"

A big carnivorous smile settled on the woman's face as she gauged Elena before finishing her gaze on my form as if she was still looking for a mystery about me. "He's in love with you."

Elena instantly stared at Damon as I looked at the vampire with empathy for the vampire who was currently staring at Stefan. Along the way of my friendship with Stefan, I had learned to worry about Elder Salvatore and even though I was already fully aware of his craze for my sister, to hear it from someone's mouth made things a lot more real.

A strange feeling of nostalgia enveloped me when I realized that and I could not help but quickly look away as I felt my throat thicken.

"Plus ..." Isobel added, forcing me to look at her just to see that she was mischievously gauging me. "He cares about Mila."

Her words had the effect of an icy wind as I suddenly tightened my arms around me as if to protect myself from the impact of the looks, I was receiving. I kept my eyes on the ground to avoid making eye contact with anyone until Isobel reached out for Elena.

The latter gave her the invention reluctantly before pronouncing something completely meaningless. I stared incredulously at her as she thanked Isobel and wondered for a moment if she just did not go mental and it seemed that Isobel was wondering the same thing.

''Of what? ''

"To have been such a monumental disappointment that leaves me a memory of the one who really was my mother ... perfectly intact." Elena answered audaciously and I felt my heart flutter in my ribcage with nostalgia as the memory of my mother crossed my mind.

I frowned as Isobel's impassive mask seemed to crack a little with Elena's words before swallowing as the vampire stared intently at my sister.

"Goodbye, Elena ... Know that as long as you have both Salvatore in your arm, you'll run to your loss ... Katherine was smarter, she knew how to escape that. But we all know you're not Katherine. "

I watched Isobel's fleeing back with puzzlement as her last words lingered on my mind and could not help but think that maybe she was not so wrong.

I took a slight step back as Stefan hugged Elena to reassure her and could not help but look for the other vampire just to see him walking away.

For some reason, my legs ached as if I had to run after him but my mind just begged me to stay. My body was at odds and I pulled my arms around my chest as a feeling of protection until I felt Stefan's familiar arms encircle me in a comforting hug.

* * *

I sat in one of the grill stalls with a deep sigh and felt emptied like never. I felt like I lost all my energy. My mind was in perpetual overdrive since I left the park to join Felix at the Grill as he had asked me.

Isobel's words clear as crystalline in my ears.

Basically, I knew she was right.

Since the Salvatore brothers came to town, our lives had been a big mess.

Only, my attachment to the two vampires just seemed to have troubled my mind. I had been so quick to judge Elena and her denial, but I was certainly so when it came to the two brothers. I played distractedly with a salt shaker waiting for my closest friend and suddenly, the revelation of earlier resurfaced in my mind.

 ** _"He cares for Mila."_**

What did she want to mean? And again, why had I felt that deep, unknown feeling in the back of my chest when she had revealed the love he had for Elena? I did not really know what it meant but I was sure of the oppressive feeling.

Just thinking about it, my tear ducts seemed much more sensitive and I could feel the tears about to make their appearances.

I felt my heart swell with the weight of the words and tightened my hold on the salt shaker before slightly startling when a pale hand covered my little one.

My eyes slid from hand to arm to shoulder before meeting the brown orbs concerned Felix.'' Hey how are you ?''

For a moment, I thought of lying to him but a tear flowing down my cheek betrayed me even before I could make a lie and soon, I found myself locked in a bear hug by Felix.


	22. Chapter 22 : Something in the way

**Chapter twenty-two : Something in the way**

 _Something will happen. Idk how I know it, or why but there is something in the air that gives me that feeling. It has been several days since this feeling gnaws at me and obsesses me. It keeps me awake and when I manage to close my eyes, his strange dreams appear._

I removed the ball of my pen from the faded page and looked at my writings for a moment. Carol Lockwood's shrieks and cheers could be heard in the background as the sun's rays slid across my skin like diamonds.

My gaze lingered on the grassy grounds of the town square and soon I was withdrawing into the memory of my dream.

 _Barefoot._

 _It was the first thing I noticed as I watched my toes sink into the earthy soil. A thick fog settled around me until several laughs were heard in the distance._

 _I suddenly raised my head to see a breach of light in this mystical fog. It was bright, almost like a halo, and I felt strangely attracted to it._ _Without realizing it, I was moving towards the beam of light and the further I went, the stronger it became. I had to protect my eyes from its intensity and hesitated a moment in my ascent when the laughter sounded again. They seemed familiar. Like a kind of distant memory._

 _Then, as it had appeared, the hole of light began to shrink, moving a little further away from me every second._

 _Without a second thought, I ran and ran to try to reach it, but as if every step I took, it was running away. I reached out my hand in the hope of touching it when I was absorbed. The light enveloped me like a cocoon and before I could withdraw, I fell.  
_

 _And I fell hard.  
_

 _I let out a hiccup of pain when my cheek hit a rough surface and lay there for a while, my eyes closed as I waited for the next move when the laughter called me out again._ _I flicked my eyes open just to close them immediately to the feeling of aggression that I felt.  
The light. It was everywhere. _

_I waited a moment before trying again and finally opened my eyes to find that I was in a forest._

 _A bird began to sing on my right side and I turned my head to look at him in curiosity. He kept his eyes on me and shared the same curiosity I felt._ _A slow smile crept over my lips as I stood on my feet with the help of my hands and looked around me.  
_

 _Suddenly, several footprints rapid alert me. I broke my head to the side to see blurred silhouette in the bushes._ _They seemed to be a woman and a man. He was running after her and I soon realized that laughter was coming from them.  
_  
'' Mila? ''

I flashed the memory away as I broke my gaze from the ground just to meet the brown orbs that reminded me of Felix.

"Tyler." I acknowledged with a benevolent smile as I squeezed my pen as a bookmark in my notebook before closing it and letting it rest on my lap.

We had not really had time to talk about what he had told me last time and I had to admit that with my recent moments with Felix, I had found myself more than once I could count on compare them.

"Do I disturb you?" He asked, pointing at my old leather notebook with a rising eyebrow.

''No, I had finished anyway."I said before turning completely to the side to face him, biting the inside of my cheek indecisively." So ... "

"So ..." Repeated Tyler looking just as uncomfortable as I was and soon a tense silence settled between us.

I played awkwardly with the clipping of my notebook and looking anywhere except to the boy next to me and dug my brain to defuse the misunderstanding when my eyes caught two familiar silhouettes.

To be honest, I had not really seen the two Salvatore brothers since the exchange with Isobel. I was still upset with all my unknown feelings and I did not know how to interpret them. Moreover, every time I let myself be thought about my friendship with Stefan, Isobel's words would not stop making an appearance in the back of my mind and I still had not come up with an argument to counter them.

She was right and I hated that.

The two brothers seemed in a kind of argument and by the big smirk of Damon, I doubted he should be playing with Stefan's nerves. The vampire just had a gift to annoy people and I knew it first-hand.

However, the knowledge of the subject of this argument made me bit inside of my cheek in the slight irritation and I felt again this nostalgia fill my chest.

If I had to follow the theory of my feelings according to Felix, it was because I cared about Damon as the friend I refused to recognize.

Since that famous evening at the Grill, Felix had made a personal mission to make me confess my attachment to the vampire, in vain of course. I could not let myself be carried away by my feelings. I knew who Damon Salvatore was and even if a small part of humanity remained, he was still the infamous vampire who had tried to kill me several times. I did not hold any resentment for him because I had resolved. He was what he was and no matter what Stefan or Elena thought, he would never change.

I was so focused on the two vampires that I probably would miss the source of their new interest if Tyler had not pointed out to me Elena's entry or rather Katherine's lookalike herself. The image of 1864 popped into my mind as I looked at her long, once-smooth hair now back in tight curls falling down her back and on a typical yellow-and-green hoop dress. I was totally stunned as she made a reverence before smiling for the attention of the two men and could not help but clench my fists in exasperation at the next sightings of my neighbor.

''Whoa, both Salvatore are literally drooling on your sister. "

I immediately broke my gaze from the trio to shrink my bluish orbs to Tyler as I grumbled under my breath."Yeah, pathetic."

Instantly, Tyler looked away to gauge me more carefully before raising an eyebrow, inquisitor."What's the story between these three anyway?"

I rolled my eyes in boredom and pushed me further against the back of the bench on which we were sitting before crossing my arms over my chest in consternation."Believe me, you don't want to know."

A faint laugh shook Tyler's shoulders as he turned to me, gauging me curiously.

"You know you're pretty mysterious, right? Enigmatic answers, detached attitude and pensive expressions. Even the notebook makes for it."Tyler enumerated with a smirk making me burst into an amused smile.

"Mysterious?" I mocked, relaxing further before punching his shoulder, playful."I didn't know I was being watched, Lockwood."

He stared at my fist with a slightly surprised smile before shrugging his shoulders casually."It's just stuff I've noticed."

An expression of surprise seized my features as I realized what he had just said. It was strange to think that Tyler Lockwood himself, had to watch more than two minutes out of his little person to notice me. I realized that I had finally mistaken him. He was not just the spoiled little kid that I had been in charge at the very beginning.

In fact, the more time I spent with him, the more I found myself comparing him to my best friend, Felix. They were surprised much more similar point that I would have thought and I found to appreciate as much the company of Tyler as that of Felix.

However, it reminded me that if they shared positive traits, they also shared very negative traits, such as this very big anger problem.

During the last days that I had spent with Felix, I had watched him punch a wall and had even been forced to prevent him from going into fight multiple times. It was not like him and I had to seriously get more information on this problem.

I was resuming a serious expression as I would be slightly my notebook in apprehension."Hey, Tyler. We never really talk about what you told me the last time. "

An understanding wash fell on Tyler's chiseled face and he looked around before swallowing. "Oh, yeah, that. Not paying attention, I was only working with Matt and stuff. "

I caught an incredulous eyebrow, easily seeing through his lie."Are you really expecting me to believe that?"

As soon as the words had left my lips, Tyler leaped to his feet and threw me a deadly cold glow that literally nailed me to the spot."I told you it was nothing, okay. Just give up and take care of your things, Mila."

I raised my arms to the sky, sighing heavily as I watched Tyler stride forward and pinch the bridge of my nose, muttering, frustrated."And ... again with the mood changes."

"What with all the whispers now?"

I jumped at the cry of a little girl as I turned around with wide eyes just to meet Damon's smug expression.

''Argh! Go to hell!" I whistled hard, hitting his shoulder hard before quickly putting my notebook back in my bag and getting up on my feet hoping to escape the vampire.

Of course it was a vain hope as the vampire followed me quickly.

"Can't do it, I'll miss you too much." Damon said with a pretentious smile making me look up at the sky in boredom.

''Is there any particular reason why you follow me or do you just want to make my life hell?''I was already annoyed with his mere presence.

I was already struggling with my feelings and my conscience so the last one I had was the famous vampire to torment me.

Damon mimicked an innocent false expression by bringing his hand to his chest."Should I have a reason to enjoy your company?" I took a sharp look aside for his attention but he just continued his sarcastic rant. ''After all, we're at the founders' party, the weather is nice, the birds are singing and Bonnie has turned off the invention that was threatening to kill me ... "

"Not to mention that Stefan is now full of insecurities about Elena and you! All is well that ends well on the planet Damon."I interrupted sarcastically while rolling eyes excessively." We understood. "

''Oh, oh. Wait! "Interrupted Damon with a smug expression before continuing in jubilant."Are you also going to give me the famous speech _-do not approach the girlfriend of my best friend_?-"

I stopped in my tracks to stare, outraged before shaking my head, indignant and speeding up, now annoyed with the vampire.

"Oh c'mon, Mila!" Damon held me back but I kept ignoring him. "You're exactly like Stefan. No sense of humor. ''

I would be tighten my fists as I glared over my shoulder.'' You're really an asshole, you know that?''

After that, I turned around and began to mingle with the growing crowd as the parade was about to begin.

* * *

Carol Lockwood was obviously the commentator of the event and I tried to ignore her nasal voice as I stood in front of a window of a store while waiting idly by the parade.

Honestly, I had no interest in this damn feast but Jenna had insisted that I be present since Jeremy and Elena participated and I had to stay here now and be bored to death.

Felix still had some problem staying with his parents since the announcement of his mother's infidelity so it meant that I had to stand by myself until he decided that the way was free enough to his parents to sneak out. I had seen the Fell earlier and I doubted Felix would be here before long.

"Well, I wouldn't have thought about seeing you here." Suddenly a familiar voice came in beside me and I just turned to meet Ric's friendly smile. "Let me take a guess and say: Jenna ?''

I nodded with a smirk."Given your presence, I guess you know how hard it's to resist her."

"True." A loud laugh shook his shoulders as he turned his attention to the parade. "But for you concern, I'm here of my own free will." He leaned over me pretending to be a conspiratorial mine. "Duty professor.''

An expression of understanding fell on face in the memory. "Oh, that's right. You supervise the parade."

"Among other things." He agreed, nodding his head as he began to clap at the approach of Jeremy's tank. "But Caroline was the one who took charge."

"Oh, I guess."

I started to applaud and let out a deep, weary sigh when Jeremy deliberately avoided my gaze, which attracted the attention of Alaric.

"What's going on between you two?" He asked curious, making me sigh in defeat.

"He knows about the supernatural." A shocked and alarmed expression crossed Alaric's face and I urged him to explain. "He was looking for Elena's diary and I was tired of lying to him constantly so I gave it to him. He knows everything. And now, he hates us. "

"I warned Elena, he had suspicions." Alaric explained with a sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mila, you're just teenagers. You shouldn't be involved in all this. It's dangerous.''

I stared at Alaric in silence as I noticed his expression genuinely concerned and could not help but feel a slight pit in my stomach. I knew he was right, I was aware but the situation was much more complex than that.

However, I could only endorse his words."I know."

I could feel his eyes on me as I kept my eyes on Elena and Stefan's chariot when I saw my sister greet a brown head in the crowd. I recognized Bonnie's form as well as Damon's and could not help but rethink when Bonnie had disenchanted the invention.

For a reason that was still unknown to me, I suspected the witch was deceiving us. I had spent enough time with her to know that her resentment was stronger than she had suggested and although she claimed that Elena was her best friend and that she did it for her, I could not stop doubting. She had avoided meeting my eyes that day, as if she knew I would understand her trickery as soon as I met her emerald orbs. Not to mention, that before that day, Bonnie had seemed very quick to restore our so-called friendship but since that day, was as if she had completely disappeared from my surroundings.

However, until proven otherwise, she was totally innocent and part of me, still hoping to trust her.

I could not deny that I had grown fond of the witch and had even found in her, my first friend. Only, our differences of opinion seemed perhaps too important to continue this friendship.

* * *

After all my dark thoughts, I decided to skip the rest of the show and found refuge in one of the Grill's booths.

I looked for probably the hundredth time my cell just to see that I still had no news of Felix and ended up snapping my head on the flat surface of the table in total trouble. If before I had been so easily satisfied by my loneliness, now all I wanted was anything but finding myself alone. It implied that I had thought and if I thought then well ... you saw the result above.

I felt a new presence by my side and let go of the first thing on my mind. "I'm a lost cause."

A familiar laugh called out and I took my head off the table to look at Stefan, who had a big, amused smile on his face. '' Who has the sense of dramaturgy now? ''

I narrowed my eyes to him and mimed a grin before I looked up."Not funny, vampire boy. Not funny at all. ''

"Come on, Mila." I felt a slight shoulder-shot making me gauge him suddenly concerned expression. "What's wrong?"

I failed to whisper _-lot of things-_ but squeezed mu lips and began to play distractedly with the salt shaker. I poured a trail of white grain on the table before laying the salt shaker on the side and absently drew forms to try to avoid Stefan's persistent gaze.

Soon, a large pale hand covered mine, stopping me in my stimulation and I was now forced to make eye contact with the vampire who seemed more concerned now by my silence.

"Mila, talk to me. What is the problem?''

I shrugged absently before forcing a fake smile."Nothing, Stefan. I'm bored, that's all. Don't take things too much to heart. ''

A severe frown came over the handsome face of the youngest Salvatore as he crossed his arms over his broad chest now dressed in a gray V-neck t-shirt covered with a hooded jacket and a black fitted jacket that he had swapped in place of his period costume.

"You realize that even though I can't hear your heartbeat now, I could always tell when you're lying to me."

I stared, struggling with my mouth to find a lie to get out of this but could not find anything in my blank mind. It was as if the words had completely escaped me.

Fortunately for me, something else caught the vampire's attention away from me as he suddenly jumped to his feet with a distant expression and he started walking towards the exit when he stopped in the middle of the stage and turned around to me with a determined expression. '' We haven't finished this conversation, Mila. ''

I let myself fall back against my seat, massaging my temples in relief when the bass of the seat beside me called to me, telling me that a new person had joined me. I turned my head to the side in fatigue and let out an annoyed, barely audible sigh at the sight of my older sister looking upset.

"Jeremy hates me."

I rolled my eyes at that and was dying to hit me here and now. "He hates us both. Not only _you_. So, don't act as if you were the only one to suffer from the situation. "

Elena's sparkling brown eyes widened at my steep tone and I knew that I had probably been unfair but honestly, taking into consideration her feelings were the last of my worries.

After all, everyone considered her feelings and even if it seemed childish, I also wanted to receive some attention.

Elena seemed to grasp that as she laid a comforting hand on my shoulder and gave me her famous look of pity. "I'm sorry. I never really asked you how you felt about the whole situation. "

I knew I should be put off by her tone of pity but I was too tired to take it into account and decided to answer her honestly instead.

"About what, huh?" I snapped, frowning slightly."On the fact that my best friend is a vampire and my sister is his girlfriend? Oh, no, I still have better. That the best friend used me as a chewing bone and that he wanted to commit suicide later because he felt guilty. Or because the psychopathic brother for whom I have a scary bond of attachment has also fallen in love with my sister, reproducing a 150-year-old schema. "

 _ **Elena POV  
**_

Elena stared at her little sister completely stunned. She just did not know what to say to that.

On the one hand, she was really shocked that Mila had even wanted to share her feelings when we knew she was not talking at all, there is still a few months but on the other hand, she regretted even having asked her question.

If their bond had always been strong when they were younger, she and Mila had grown quite the opposite and she did not know how to act with her anymore. In addition, she knew that nothing she could say could bring any comfort to the brunette. Her sister had always been stubborn and rarely listened to her.

Elena had to admit that when it came to her sister, she tended to forget about her and ignore her feelings because it was probably easier.

As when their parents were dead, even though watching Mila wither a little more each day had been a real heartbreaker, she knew she could never have helped her so she let her manage her own mourning.

Only now she had opened to her and even then, she still did not know how to help her. Strangely, Elena was in a vaguely familiar situation.

Well, less the fact that Stefan had not tried to bite her as he had done with Mila, but if she had to be honest with herself, she had also attached to Damon. She had accepted the idea of being his friend despite everything but Mila still seemed to be struggling with this fact.

Suddenly, a phone ringing sounded and Elena broke from her stupor to see Mila check her messages.

 _ **Mila POV  
**_

I locked my screen before jumping on my feet and glanced at Elena. Once again, my sister had been of no use and I could not help but feel that little hole of melancholy in my chest.

We had been so close once.

She seemed to come out of her stupor and looked at me with a look like mine and clumsily signed on my phone. "I have to go. Felix is waiting for me. "

''Oh, yes, of course. "Elena agreed in a disappointed little voice as a frown marred her heart-shaped face. I was feeling nostalgia for my sister and was about to turn around when Elena's voice stopped me in my tracks. "Mila, I know that the last few months haven't really been ... easy for you. For us. But I promise you things will get better. "

It was crap and she knew it.

I rolled my eyes, hastening towards the exit and trying to ignore the bitterness that was consuming me. I wondered again why I had even made the effort to open to her.

* * *

''Don't touch! Get your own cotton candy."Hissed Felix in a playful way as he pushed my hand away from the present object of my lust.

"Oh, come on, Félix!" I moaned, pretending to pout, wedging my bottom lip between my teeth."I'm hungry."

We were currently sitting on the grass area overlooking the main square of Mystic Falls which gave the perfect access for the fireworks of later and I was desperately trying to get a piece of cotton candy to stop the rumblings of my stomach.

The brown narrowed his brown orbs on me as he pointed to me."Oh, no! Stop it, immediately! I would not fall for it."I approached him, folding my hands together in a last attempt to crack him and soon, he let out a grunt before handing me the pink cloud in surrender." Fine! Here! Happy now? "

I was doing a show of gobbling up a piece of cotton candy in my mouth and nodded vigorously before answering the full mouth with a mischievous smile. "Hum. Very.''

''Hum. What a class!'' Declared Felix with disgusted looks as I swallowed the rest of the cloud before displaying a smug expression and Felix rolled his eyes.'' You know that ... ''

"What?" I frowned at Felix's sudden rage and immediately felt anxious as I tried to get his attention, in vain. "Hey, Felix, what's wrong?''

After the third attempt, I decided to look myself over my shoulder to find out what could have upset Felix so much and I widened my eyes in understanding when I saw none other than Mayor Lockwood approaching us.

"Felix, Mila." Recognized the restless mayor."How did you come here?"

I frowned slightly surprised by his question but his stern expression forced me to answer.

"Uh ..." I glanced at Felix in expectation but found him simply by shooting the mayor's eyes that only heightened the mayor's agitation.''Jenna dropped me off but Felix took his truck. Right, Felix? "

''Perfect. Felix, you're going to bring Mila home, all right."The mayor asked, leaving me all the more confused as to all his agitation.

Suddenly, Felix leaped to his feet and stood facing Mr. Lockwood face to face, forcing me to get up in my turn and watch the two men in apprehension.

"And if we want to stay?" Felix challenged, his tone cold and hard as he gave the older man a burst of death.

"I'm the mayor here, okay and when I give an order, you're obeying me, boy." Exploded the mayor, grabbing Felix's arm suddenly and starting to pull him in the opposite direction.

''Let go of me! "Barked dangerously Felix, losing more and more control as he began to struggle against the man."I'm not your boy."

I was staring into panic knowing that nothing good would come out of this confrontation and was quick to intervene. "Mayor Lockwood, release him. Please.''

The Mayor narrowed his dark eyes to Felix before shifting them to me. '' Go home, Felix. Now! And take Mila with you. "

With that, the mayor released his arm and turned around, leaving us totally confused and stunned by his actions. I looked at Felix to see an expression of deep anger but also of sorrow and I knew that the evening was over for us.

I gently put my hand on his arm to make him look at me and gave him a comforting low smile. "Come on, come on. I'll let you make me watch pitch perfect.''

When Felix just gave me a nod before starting to follow me, I knew the meeting with Mayor Lockwood had hit him more than he wanted to admit, and I could not help but feel for him. I buckled my arm with his and started walking through the crowd to join Felix's SUV. We had not even taken two steps before my phone rang. I debated internally to just ignore it only my interlocutor seemed persistent.

"Oh, god!" I grumbled, pulling irritably into my pocket before rolling my eyes openly as I read the ID. I brought the mobile to my ear and waited for the hollies to come with boredom.

"Where are you?" Exploded the voice through the receiver, seeming to be concerned about none other than Damon Salvatore making me frown.

''Decidedly not far enough from you since I can still hear your vo-''

"This is not the moment, Mila." Damon looks really worried now. "The vampires of the tomb are there and aim at the descendants of the founders, so you have better get out of there fast."

I tightened my grip on the phone looking at Felix with a totally panicked expression. '' What about Elena and Stefan? Oh my god, Jeremy."

"Already taken care of." Damon replied becoming more and more impatient."Just go Mila."

''But ... ''

I did not have time to continue my sentence as the tone rang and I lowered my phone to watch Felix completely horrified by what was coming next.

I had to get us out of here.

'' Mila, what is ... ''

"Come on, we have to go." I cut him grabbing his arm and started walking briskly.

I pulled Felix more as he struggled against my hand and felt relief wash over me as I saw the famous red truck in the distance. I filled up the rest of the space between our only exit and stopped right in front of the door driver before turning to Felix who made no movement to get inside.

"Felix, what are you doing? We have to go."I declared, becoming more and more panicked as the seconds passed.

"Why?" He snapped hard, making my eyes go wide. "And don't give me a fucking lie, okay? I want the truth, Mila. "

I watched everyone behind us feel panic become more and more out of control at the vampires' idea of the tombs and could feel my hands tremble in anxiety before I rested my alarmed eyes on Felix. '' I can't tell you but we have to leave. Now. Just believe me, Felix. "

'' No.''

"What?" I gaped at his refusal and stepped back with a slightly frightened step as he took a step forward and pointed at me with a furious expression.

"I'm tired of all your lies. You say that you are my friend and yet you continue to lie in my face. My parents have been lying to me all my life, I don't need any other liars in my life."Barked Felix crudely, making me feel a little more guilty with each word.

I took a step aside totally paralyzed by sadness and felt a gaping hole form in my chest as Felix accelerated far.

I could not believe it had happened.

"Mila?" I turned in a state of stupor at the agreement of my name before making a race without even thinking about my twin. I closed my arms on him as tears flowed freely down my cheeks and held my brother like a lifesaver. "Hey, Mila! Hey! Hush! It will be fine.''

I had not felt so much like that for a long time.

This feeling of loss was persistent and even when Jeremy had held me, he had remained. Well, I supposed that the fact that as soon as my twin let go as if I had burned from the moment, we had crossed the door did not help either.

Honestly, I did not really know where I was and the only person I wanted to talk to, hated me. I hated lying to Felix but after what had happened with Bonnie and Jeremy since they were in the secret, I was too scared. I recognized it, I was scared. In fact, I was terrified. Alaric was right. We were just teenagers sailing through a world of nightmares and that will not stop for long. Whenever we thought everything was going back to normal, something would come out of nowhere and cause more danger than we could even imagine. I felt like I fell into an endless spiral with no way out. I was trapped. A feeling of oppression weighed down my chest and I had to get out of my room at all costs. I could feel my lungs getting compressed and my airways getting narrower. I leapt on my tottering feet holding my chest in pain and heard my wheezing.

I was having a panic attack. I knew that I had to take deep breaths but had too much for myself.

In a few strides, I opened my door in a big slam and almost fell over if it was not for the table in the corner. I leaned both hands flat on the table to stand up and closed my eyes, starting to count my breaths in my heads. I had to control it. It was out of the question that I let myself be controlled by the attacks again.

''1, 2, 3 ... '' Inspire. Expired. Inspired. Expire. '' God ... 1, 2 ... ''

I felt my heart stabilize soon followed by my breathing and stayed in the same position a little longer before I risked opening my eyes. My chest was still a bit sore but otherwise everything seemed to be back to normal. I let out a sigh of relief as I heard the opening of the front door followed closely by Jenna's angry voice.

"What are you playing Elena?"

I frowned as I walked down the stairs and leaned against the rail to see Elena respond to Jenna dryly as she climbed the stairs with her vintage dress in one hand. "I don't want to talk about it. "

The brunette noticed me and arched her head to the side with a smirk and I felt the hairs on my arms bristling."You never heard that spying was a very bad thing?"

I accented my frown and shrugged to sweep away that strange feeling. It just had to be the resemblance to Katherine's picture and the latest events that put me on the edge.

"What happened?" I asked, leaving my voice uninterested even though Jenna's anger had piqued my curiosity.

Elena's smile grew conspiratorial as she walked straight to her room and I followed her all the more interested now. I did not really know why I suddenly felt so much interest in my older sister but there was something that attracted my curiosity.

I leaned against the door frame of her room and crossed my arms over my chest with a raised eyebrow in anticipation as she took all her time to put her clothes on her bed. "Well?''

"Patience is a virtue, Mila." Elena chanted, pointing at me in a complicit manner that made me stare at her in disbelief.

Elena had never been so strange. Well, she always was for me but she never seemed so ... how to say ... perky.

"Did you take any drugs or anything?" I asked, slightly worried as her smile only widened.

God, she was scary. How could she smile so much, by the way? Even Damon's smile was less creepy than her.

Then suddenly Elena began to growl slightly in irritation and lost her smile as she rolled her eyes with attitude. "Relax, Mila. I'm supposed to be the older sister here. "

I remained totally stuck in shock at her so much opposite attitude and well ... at her before getting up in boredom when I saw her smile again.

''Argh! It doesn't matter. You're too strange for me.'' I said as I stepped out into the hallway when her next revelation stopped me in my tracks.

"Good, go away! You wouldn't know anything about my kiss with Damon. ''

I stared at the empty space in front of what seemed like an eternity before turning around feeling my anger take over from my stunned state.

"You did what?" I exploded taking a step forward, threatening as Elena just raised an eyebrow of slight surprise at my reaction before a new smirk adorned her features fueling my anger.

''What? What's the problem? "She asked with a nonchalant shrug before she had the audacity to be innocent.

"No, but it's a fucking joke, right?" I said, raising my arms to the ceilling in total outrage."The mere fact that you're wondering what the problem is proving how out of your mind you are. Do you know that Stefan is my best friend? Yes, Stefan! Your boyfriend who happens to be Damon's brother! ''

After this revelation, I was expecting anything coming from Elena but it seemed she wanted to outdo herself tonight because what followed left me simply speechless and full of rage.

''So what? Maybe I want to expand my options."I gaped as she began to pace her room with an aura much darker and calculating than usual.

Her smile kept growing, exasperating me more and more, and I felt my heart sink into my chest in total disgust at his next words. "After all, Stefan loves me. But on the other hand, Damon loves me too so I must see which one I like the most, right? "She eyed her mirror, vindictive as she puffed out her curly hair before letting her long, thin fingers dragged on top of her dresser."Or maybe I can have both. What do you think about it?''

''Whoa! Who are you for? Katherine? "I retorted coldly, my sharp tone showing my disgust at the girl who called herself my sister. '' Must believe that the fruit never falls so far from the tree. ''

That was it.

I could not hear more.

I turned around without taking a single look at Elena and made my way straight to my room before slamming my door as loud as I could. I just could not believe what I was hearing. It was so crazy and sickening. How could she do that to Stefan and pretend to rub it on my face. She knew I would never keep that from him. Or at least I wouldn't do it. But he will be devastated and it was not really what was needed right now. He was just recovering from his blood crisis and She ... Ew! I felt sick just pronouncing her name.

I let go of my grip since my fingers started to turn blue because of my tight grip and took a step forward when the feeling of vibration inside my jean pocket stopped me. I frowned when I realized it was only my phone. I decided to simply ignore it since I was definitely not in the mood to face a new episode in the world of vampires and continued my way to my bed.

However, it seems that my correspondent did not understand the meaning of ignorance since my ringtone sounded more making me let go an angry roar before giving in furiously plunging my hand in my pocket.

I did not even look at the caller ID and just snarled at my caller."What?"

There was a long pause making me doubt the presence of my correspondent when a trembling familiar voice made itself known. '' Mila, you should come to the hospital. Now!''

Then, that was all.

The tone indicating that the caller had hung up sounded and I lowered my screen to confirm my suspicion.

It was Felix.

I did not even think twice and grabbed my SUV keys before I ran down the stairs without even paying attention to the atrocity that was happening in our kitchen and walked out the door before getting into my SUV and speeding up of the hospital.

* * *

 **There is it ! The final of the season one !**

 **Be ready for the next chapter. Will be go in the season two.**

 **Thanks for all of you who has follow and post reviews until now. I really hope to hear so much more of you...**

 **Xxo.**


	23. Chapter 23 : Don't Leave

_**Hey everybody !**_

 _ **So here we are in season 2. I hope you are still interested in this story. Some people wonder what is the pairing of this story and I will answer honestly I think about it again.**_

 _ **I will let you choose.**_

 _ **Who do you want to see Mila with?**_

 _ **Klaus - Elijah - Kol - Damon - Stefan**_

 _ **Leave your choice into a review...**_

 _ **Xxo**_

* * *

 **Chapter twenty-three : Don't Leave**

I pulled the handbrake barely paying attention to how I parked and exploded from my truck and ran straight for the hospital doors.

I was just totally panicked that something might have happened to Felix after his call. I had lost far too many people and Felix could not be one of these people.

I was actively walking through the sterile corridors of the hospital with my arms tight around my chest in anxiety and could not help but cringe every time I walked past a room with a heart monitor.

The hospitals made me so uncomfortable, and the memories of the last time I was here did nothing to fix my almost hysterical state. I knew that if I released my hands from my body, they would start shaking, warning me of a future panic attack and I could not let that happen. I had to check on Felix before losing all the rest of my control.

He must be alright, no, he would be fine. It was impossible for me to lose him too. Especially not after what had happened earlier.  
The reception desk finally came in, interrupting my morbid thoughts and I rushed to the secretary when the only voice I wanted to hear bothered me.

'' Mila? ''

I turned around with my heart pounding a mile and saw Felix who was about to cry.

Without thinking, I pulled away from the secretary's desk and rushed right at the boy before closing my arms on him and giving him the biggest hug, I could handle.

"Felix." I breathed in relief before quickly straying to inspect him from every angle when I spotted a band-air under his right eyebrow, I reached out to touch it and he hissed in pain. ''Oh my God! You're hurt. What happened? You're okay? It hurts?''

"I'm fine, Mila." Assured Felix, grabbing my hands to stop me from continuing my examination of his wounds before frowning in confusion.

"I don't know what happened. One minute, I was still driving angry at you, and then there was that noise and I lost control of my car and hit Tyler Lockwood's car full force. "

"Oh my god." I gasped, widening my eyes in panic and worry."He's all right?" Before frowning my turn. ''Noise?What noise?''

At that, Felix looked around me before deepening his frown in confusion. "I don't know. He was there earlier but the sheriff spoke to him and then he left. But Mila, Tyler wasn't all alone in the car and Caroline was hit pretty serious."

"How's that serious enough?" I asked feeling the worry ball forming again in my throat as I looked at my expectant friend simply to receive an expression of defeat. "Felix! What do you mean? "

I severely losing control of my emotions little by little as information flowed in my mind.

Felix reached my hand with an expression of pity and gave me a hug."We don't know if she's going to go through it, Mila."

I instantly felt the tears pushed behind my eyes and squeezed them shut to prevent them from sinking.

No, it could not happen.

Caroline did not even have anything to do with all the supernatural. She couldn't die.

Until how much death I could bear before I ended up as an empty shell. I had never been closed to the pretty blonde but she couldn't die. It would be another burial, another mourning and another pain accumulating to that already felt. I could not let that happen.

I suddenly fought Felix and pulled him away from his hug with a determined expression."Where is she?"

'' Mila, I ... ''

''Where is she, Felix? I want to see her."I interrupted him coldly, leaving no choice as I tried to keep a cover for my emotions.

Felix stared at me for a moment knowingly and seemed to debate internally before sighing weakly in surrender. "She's still in surgery but you can reach for news, come on."

I was walking next to Felix, clenching my fists so hard that I felt my nails dug painfully in my flesh. It became more and more difficult to keep calm as I could feel the impulses of tremors fighting against my control already about to crack. My heartbeat kept getting faster as I plunged into the hospital and moved away from the exit.

I could not wait to see Matt Donovan's shaggy blonde hair and reminded me that he and Caroline had become something of an element until my attention was drawn to Bonnie's familiar figure.

From the moment the witch met my eyes, she rushed at me and before I could record her move, her arms were locked around me.

At first, I stiffened clearly surprised by her hug before ending up making her hug and took full advantage of the comfort that the brunette brought me. She was a close friend of Caroline and even though we were not in the best of terms right now, Bonnie had always given me a kind of comforting sensation.

Finally, I finally detach myself from the brunette and stared at length. She seemed much more concerned than usual. Her fine features were drawn and a worried frown was engraved on her forehead. I caught myself putting a hand on her shoulder and was about to ask for news of Caroline when Elena came out of nowhere and grabbed Bonnie. Elena's mere sight brought back my anger as my jaw dropped and my fists tightened on their own. I could feel the anger creep along my veins and instantly shone down the path of my older sister.

Suddenly, the sensation of eyes on me shouted at me and I instinctively searched for our observer just to get more and more angry at the sight of Damon.

I had been so angry and shocked with Elena that I had forgotten the vampire's involvement in all of this.

His feelings for Elena was not a discovery far from it, but even though I tended to think the worst of the vampire, I had always believed he would never do that to Stefan.

Honestly, I did not even know why I put that kind of faith in the vampire when I knew his true nature. He was selfish, manipulative and worse, heartless. My tolerance with the vampire had just reached its limit. This betrayal of Stefan was just the icing on the cake after all he had done in the last months.

A tug on my arm pulled me out of my pensive state and I let out a hiss of anger when I noticed that Elena was the one who had interrupted me. Her hand was still on my forearm and she had the audacity to give me that concerned expression as if our conversation earlier had never even happened.

"How you're holding up, Mila?" She asked in her honeyed voice."I know that coming back here can bring you bad memories but ..."

"Spare me your speech from the sister concerned." I choked coldly between my teeth as my hand was itching to slap her as hard as I could. "You can stop playing with me. I wouldn't be your fucking puppet. "

Elena was backing up at my tone as if my remarks were unfounded before frowning in the false confusion. "But what are you talking about? ''

A dark smirk adorned my face as I let out a deep, incredulous laugh."You disgust me."

I could not look at her without imagining what she had done and it was beyond me. I was looking for Bonnie instantly and found her a little further away from us staring at us with an expression of surprise and confusion on her face.

Without giving a glance at Elena, I headed for the brunette and stopped once I was at her height as I was still trying to push my emotions to the back of my mind and focus only on Caroline.

"How is she?" I asked, my tone still cold and hard from my previous conversation with Elena.

Bonnie glanced at me for a moment with an inquisitive eyebrow before focusing her gaze over my shoulder, making me cringe before answering in a weak voice. 'She's weakened. We don't know if she's going to make it. "

As I had supposed, Elena stepped forward and stood at my side pulling me a grimace before narrowing my gaze to her next purely naive and stupid statement.

"You can't save her?" She asked as if Bonnie was the solution to everything that fell in our path. "If you're using your magic?"

I was about to bite a response back when suddenly Damon's miserable voice stopped me in my tracks. "She doesn't know how to do it. I'm wrong?''

Bonnie copied my glare towards the vampire but nodded in defeat anyway. ''No. You don't."

"And, yes." Damon said condescendingly, further disgusting me by his mere presence. ''And for good reason, Emilie has been training for years before she can do it.''

At that, Bonnie took a threatening step forward and narrowed her eyes to Damon in hatred. ''Anyway, I know how to neutralize a vampire and I didn't have to train a lot.''

"If only you could do more than neutralize them." I murmured to myself in a bitter tone before crossing the bluish orbs of the vampire who stared at me with confusion and slight irritation.

I raised my chin to that and glared at him in return before rolling my eyes when he turned to Elena."I can always give her my blood."

I stared into disbelief before restraining me of slapping Elena when she categorically refused. As much as I was against getting the help from the vampire, Caroline's life was far too important and if I could accept Damon's help then that meant a lot. Besides, Elena should just agree with everything he does now because she wanted to test all of her options. (Note the sarcasm here.)

"Just for her to heal, there are no dangers here. She'll have eliminated it in 24 hours, that will only help her." Damon said.

I watched Elena with pure hatred as she refused again and was about to slap her when Bonnie's voice stopped me in shock and disbelief.

'' Do it! '' I watched Bonnie uncertain as Elena remained utterly flabbergasted, but I knew that was the right thing to do. 'This is Caroline. We're not going to stay here watching her die ... Do it! "

I shifted my attention to the vampire and clenched my fists when I saw his calculating expression as he focused his attention on Bonnie.''If I save her. You and I agree on a truce.''

My mouth flew away even before Bonnie could formulate an answer, and I stood next to Bonnie and glared at the two in front of us while Damon looked at me in sheer confusion and disbelief. ''Bonnie will not make any truce. ''

"She's right." Bonnie agreed as she met my gaze before turning to Damon condescendingly to inspire me with nothing good. ''But you would do it anyway ...'' I broke my eyes on the witch dropped when her next words fed my anger again.''For Elena.''

"Hm!" Damon contented himself and if I did not know what had happened tonight, I could have thought of the look of total surprise on Elena's face.

"Wonderful." I spat bitterly as Bonnie walked away while Elena gauged me still in surprise."Now I'm leaving. It's like a nauseating air of betrayal here. "

With that, I quickly made my way to Felix who was now waiting alongside Matt and seemed in full conversation with him. I did not really know what they were talking about but I preferred to leave them and quickly disappeared out of sight. The air of the hospital was too heavy for me anyway and after my confrontation with the other two, I needed air, a lot of air.

Honestly, I did not even know how they dared to act as if nothing had happened. Especially, Elena. She had been so quick to boast about it earlier and now it was as if she was almost embarrassed to get the vampire's attention. If that were still possible, I could easily believe that Elena from the house and Elena from the hospital were two completely different people.

I released my breath from the moment I stepped through the hospital doors and let my gaze wander over the dark skies of Mystic Falls. Half a crescent moon illuminated the sky and I quickly made my way to my SUV only to guide by its light.

The drive back home was exhausting.

Now that my possible panic attack was over, I had only the little energy I had not used to fight my emotions and the weight on my shoulders of the revelations of the evening.

I parked in my driveway and gave myself some time to collect myself as I dropped my head on the headrest and let my eyes scan the house. The light on the porch as well as that of Jeremy's room was lit and I knew that I had to face him sooner or later.

With one last exhausted sigh, I unbuckled my belt and made my way inside the house.

''Jer? I'm at home."I said as I put my car keys back in the bowl before pulling off my jacket and throwing it on the coat rack looking up the stairs." Jer? "

What followed was definitely the last thing I wanted to face.

Stefan came out of my brother's room and gave me that famous friendly smile that I loved so much.

Only this time he reminded me so much of the pain that I knew he would feel once I told him about Elena and Damon. As much as it hurt to have to tell him that, I could not hide it from him. One, he knew me too well and would know that I would hide something from him but worse, I just could not stand the idea of my sister playing with him and his brother just like Katherine had done before.

"Hey!" Hailed Stefan with a benevolent smile as I climbed the stairs to fill the rest of the space between us.

"Hey." I said, putting in no effort to look welcoming before I glanced at my twin's closed door, remembering that Stefan was there in the first place. "What were you doing in the Jer's room? ''

A slight frown crossed Stefan's features as he looked back and forth between Jer's door and my form, instantly setting me on suspicion.

''Stefan. What happened to Jeremy?"I asked, becoming more and more worried by the minute and Stefan soon put a reassuring hand on my shoulder to prevent me from entering my brother's room. ''Stefan! Let me see my brother. "

"Wait, Elena didn't tell you anything?" He asked visibly confused by that, but his ability to block the road and the mention of my sister's name only made my irritation worse.

"She had something else more important to do." I said coldly, clenching my fists as I sent an unjustified glare at Stefan.

This time, Stefan stepped in front of me and held me by the shoulders to make me look at him. "Mila, you must calm down. Jeremy is fine."

I was pushing harder against him even though I knew it was useless.'' In that case, let me see my brother, Stefan. ''

"I'm going as soon as you calm down." Assured Stefan becoming clearly irritated by my resistance and I ended up abruptly detaching myself from the vampire before sending him a shine while I tried to restrain myself from not snapping on him.

I had enough of it.

I held my emotions throughout the evening and after all that had happened, I was tired of being nice and go through all the moods of people without being able to express myself.

All I wanted now was to see my twin and make sure he was fine. I was so angry and tested that without even noticing it, tears of anger had escaped me and now I found myself having to wipe them away while Stefan gauged me with concern.

''Mila ... ''

"Just ... let me see him, Stefan." I asked with a snort in an act of resilience.

I had no more strength to argue and all I wanted was to get what I wanted for once. I was tired of fighting and getting into constant arguments.

I just wanted to rest.

Stefan stared at me for a moment with obvious guilt and concern but ended up stepping aside and giving me access to my brother's room.

I gave him a low nod in thanks before gently pushing the door of Jer's room. My twin instantly sat up at my entrance and silently gauged me for a moment before letting go on the defensive. "Did you come to scold me, too?"

I frowned slightly at his tone before just shrugging my shoulders deciding that everything that had happened did not deserve that I lose the rest of my energy by shouting at him. I walked towards him under his attentive gaze and ended up sitting on the edge of his bed before examining him in silence. It was scarcely a day that he knew about the supernatural and he already looked dreadful. I didn't even want to think about what I looked like right now even though I assumed I had the same expression. Everything became much harder when you knew the truth and Jeremy did not escape the rule.

Without a word, I leaned over him and closed my arms on him in silence. I let my ear rest against his chest and enjoyed the understanding of his reassuring heartbeat. I felt him stiffen and then return my embrace before listening with difficulty to his weak sobs.

I know the scene must be sad to imagine.

I curled up against my twin while Jeremy stood at me like a poor attempt to stand together. We were the very definition of the broken word. Only, even if I wanted to stay in my brother's arms forever and never have to face the world again, it would seem that the supernatural had other plans in mind.

After staying a little longer with my brother, Elena had burst into his room and although I was more than upset with her presence, I had listened to what she had to say and honestly, I already regretted it.

* * *

I was now leaning against our kitchen island and trying to pay attention to the conversation that Stefan, Damon and Elena were entertaining while my mind was still processing the information.

First, the tomb vampires were dead, as I had suspected, Bonnie had not defused the invention and Uncle John had succeeded in his plan, almost succeeding in killing Damon in the process. For the moment, I was still debating whether this last news was positive or negative. Then my twin had tried to commit suicide with vampire blood in his veins that made me want to shout at him now but kept me for the sake of our relationship. Then, to continue, John was attacked in our kitchen during my time at the hospital and even that Elena was there in the first place.

And finally, it seems that Katherine was back.

"Katherine came into the house, which means she was invited. What are we doing now?"Elena's question brought me back to reality and I was now looking at the two vampires in expectancy.

"Our suitcases." Damon said nonchalantly, exasperating me.

I turned to Stefan, pointing Damon over my shoulder."Remind me why he's here already?"

"Look who came out of her catatonic state."Hailed Damon forcing me to return to send him a murderous glare before crossing my arms over my chest in boredom when he turned to Elena.''Katherine wanted you dead, there would be nothing to do. You would have been dead for a long time and that's not the case. She must have other projects. "

I raised my hands to the ceilling in exasperation at this news while Elena fell tired on a stool.

'' Yes. And we need to find out what's behind her head and avoid provoking her. "Conceived Stefan staring at me in disbelief." In passing ... What happened? When you take her for Elena? "

I instantly hit my palm on my face at that, shaking my head in indignation. "Oh boy! It's going to be interesting. "

There was a long, tense silence forcing me to look up to see that all eyes were focused on me and only me, making me take a step backwards unconsciously.

''What? ''

Stefan and Elena narrow their eyes to me in suspicion."Mila, what are you not telling us."

I looked at the trio, each one looking for something that would happen before starting to sneak back to the exit to the stairs.

"Oh, nothing." I mumbled with a nonchalant shrug."Just you know ... a little chat with Katherine when I thought she was Elena and something else. Nothing to worry about. "

"What?" Elena shouted with wide eyes, and before I could get through the threshold, I found myself face to face with Stefan.

''She talked to you? You're okay? What did she say, Mila? "Stefan inquisitor and I broke my eyes on Damon and Elena over his shoulder, which drew his attention to the duet with a frown." What's that?What happen, Damon?"

''Hm! ''Hummed Damon uncomfortable as he gives me a weak look of curiosity about me before turning his sarcastic attention on Stefan.

''At the risk of digging a new furrow on a forehead already covered with wrinkles...We kissed each other. "

"And you thought it was me?" Elena was indignant before turning back to me in understanding."That's why you were so mad at me."

All the attention rested on me at that, and I felt my heart quicken in embarrassment at her ambiguous conclusion. Stefan's gaze was burning and slightly disapproving as he gauged me while Damon seemed clearly surprised and smug.

Still managing the pressure as well, I mimed a nauseated grimace and openly moaned. '' Ew! Don't say that like that. I was angry because that bitch ... oh, whatever, okay. Stefan is my best friend, of course I'll be angry. "

It seemed to satisfy Stefan as he turned to Damon with a murderous glare."What do you mean by kissing?"

''And, well, you know ... '' Damon began with pretense and irony.'' When two lips move toward two others and make ... '' He finished mimicking the sound of a kiss against his finger and even before that Elena could realize Stefan before going straight on him at his vampire speed and Damon had avoided him by swapping his place with Stefan's and was now wearing a condescending smile. ''So predictable. ''

"Seriously?" I exploded indignantly, quickly recovering from my shock by sending an outraged glare at Damon.

''No. Wait! "Elena stood between the two and kept Stefan from attacking again." He kissed Katherine. Not me."She turned slightly to Damon and I knew instantly that her next words would be a low blow."I would never have done that. "

The impassive expression on Damon's face would probably have convinced anyone but knowing from his experience with Katherine and being there when he found out that she had fooled him all along, made me think otherwise. It was a new rejection and even though he was my least preferred person now, I could not keep watching that without saying anything.

I suddenly broke away from the island on which I was always supported and called the attention of the trio. '' I understand that your concentration ability may be very limited but back to the initial point, a vampire psychopath slut s' is introduced in our home. So, I'm asking for the last time, what are we doing now?"

Damon and Stefan swallowed a little longer before the latter took a step back but not without giving him a dark warning. '' Later. ''

I rolled my eyes as Damon mimed a grimace of acquiescence and gave Elena a sharp look to get out of her enchanted world and move.

"John knows something, it's necessary." Suddenly Mary-sue came into the modern life. "Katherine had a good reason to want to kill him. Don't you think so?"

''He's an asshole, it's not enough?'' I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

Elena raised a surprised eyebrow at that."You loved Uncle John, what happened?"

My eyes unwittingly fell on Damon knowingly and the latter gave me my eyes before walking backwards and leaning back to the frame by crossing his arms covered with his famous leather jacket on his chest.

"It's Katherine. She loves to manipulate people and you stick your finger in the eye if you think you can find out what she's planning on before she's decided on it."He stated his dark and bitter tone as he watched the trio behind him.

I was watching the dark-haired vampire knowingly and could not help but pinch the bridge of my nose when Stefan gave Elena a reason.

''No. She's right. There is a chance that John learned something from Isobel."He lowered his attention to my sister with confidence." Your mother was in contact with Katherine. It may be worth it to go to the hospital and get him talking. "

''I have a better idea.''Called out Damon, who gauged me with an arching eyebrow in apprehension as Elena turned around, annoyed.

'' And what is it? ''

Damon spread his arms back from the wall."I'm going to ignore this nasty bitch. Bye.''

"Are you sure it's a good math?" I questioned him questioningly, forcing him to make eye contact with me instead of Elena.

I knew full well that he was plagued with his volatile mood and if no one was conscious enough to realize that then they were all ignorant. The little time I had spent with the vampire had told me how unpredictable he was and one thing was certain he was not managing the rejection well.

"If Katherine thinks she's been ignored, she'll come out of her hole and she'll try something."

Stefan took a step forward, haughty. "Yeah. And after what?''

The elder vampire's gaze narrowed as he worked out his plan darkly before ending on a sarcastic note.'' I'll impale her. I'll tear off her head. Something poetic. I improvise. ''

I watched his receding back and could not help but feel empathy for the vampire. It was just impossible for me to hate him completely when I still knew that part of him. Who could love unconditionally and yet was constantly rejected. I rubbed my hands, holding on to look at Stefan and Elena, and slammed my hands slightly flat on my thighs slightly uncomfortable.

"Well, I think I'll go check on Jeremy." I said, pointing at the exit with my thumb before turning back when Elena hailed me.

I glanced at my sister over my shoulder with an arched, questioning eyebrow."We ... we didn't really talk about your conversation with Katherine."

"Yeah! Uh ... it's not important, you know? "I was slightly uncomfortable talking about my conversation with the evil vampire before pausing and watching Elena for a moment." But Elena, she really like you… like really, really…It's crazy. There is no physical difference or of attitude now that I think about it. "

I could not help feeling uncomfortable. It was not really my place and if it was not for Tyler and Felix, I certainly would not be here. Speaking of Felix, I took a cautious look at my friend and could see him looking at the big Lockwood mansion with emotion. I knew it was hard for him and all I could do to help him get through this was to be there with him.

I put my hand on his arm to get his attention and soon, his foamy brown orbs formed on me making me swallow to the expression of sadness that they released."Hey, are you sure you're ready?"

Felix turned his attention to the huge colonial mansion where most of the people of Mystic Falls were paying tribute to Mayor Lockwood before releasing a weak sigh and briefly closed their eyes.

''I can do it. He was an important man in this city, I have to pay my respects."He declared, mimicking his real reasons for me to strengthen my grip on my friend before turning my attention to the mansion.

"You and I both know that's not why you should be here, Felix." I said sadly before giving him a comforting tug when I saw the pain running through his face.''Let's just go in, show our respects and leave, okay?"

"Yeah." Felix nodded before sighing again and staring at me."You're not leaving me, are you?"

I started walking, dragging Felix with me, and whispered my next words loud enough for him to be the only one to catch them.'' Never, Felix. ''

We walked up the porch steps following the line of guests when I saw Tyler dressed in a dark suit welcoming the guests as the perfect son Mrs. Lockwood always expected. I could not believe she was forcing him to do that when he had just lost his father. I wagered on a weak, sympathetic smile as it was our turn and surprised myself by giving Tyler a hug.

"Hey!" I grinned weakly as I settled my chin on his shoulder as he tightened his hold on my back gracefully accepting my embrace.

"Hey, I'm glad you're here, Mila."He murmured in my ear before releasing me and giving me a sad smile before he noticed Felix standing beside me and shaking hands with him''Hi, are you Felix, Mila's friend?''

There was a silence like Felix just ogling Tyler's handshake and I had to pretend a cough before my friend came out of his stupor and hugged back.

"Yeah, that's it."He replied before clumsily clearing his throat."I'm ... I'm sorry for your dad."

Tyler's expression became much more serious as he accepted the condolences with a nod."Thank you. It's good that you're here, guys."

'' Well! Well! Well! "Suddenly came a hoarse voice sounding strangely familiar before I saw the only person, I had had the pleasure of calling my friend as a child. ''If it's not my little Gilbert prefer.''

"Mason!" I could not stop my little shout of joy from escaping before I jumped literally into his arms, my feet wrapping around his waist as he greeted me with a laugh before we whirled on place and rest on the ground but not without keeping a warm arm on my shoulders.''What happened to you? The last time I saw you, you were that lanky teenager going out with everyone wearing a skirt. ''

''Whoa, whoa!'' Hail Tyler, reminding me of his presence as well as that of Felix who was staring at me in disbelief at my proximity to the man hanging on my arm.''You know each other? ''

I had to admit that it was different than when we were a child since, well ... that Mason had become so sexy but he was so important at the time for me. Our friendship had always been viewed with a bad eye since I was just a nine-year-old girl who was following a nineteen young man everywhere and in hindsight I could understand how weird our relationship was but I did not see the evil at that time.

Not that I saw him anymore.

"If I know her?" Mason repeated enthusiastically."Tyler, that girl was my sidekick." He gave me a wink worthy of swooning on and I could not stop the red from coming up my cheeks to his next compliment. '' Although if I had known that you would become so pretty, I would have made a marriage pact instead of our blood pact. ''

''Sorry. Would not work."I said with a teasing smile, winking at him with confidence." I knew you could never have been the man of one girl."

''Ew! Are you really flirting in front of us?"Intervened Tyler with a slightly disgusted expression as I blushed even more before I slapped Tyler lightly in the shoulder to distract myself from Mason's hypnotic green orbs.''Hey, what was it for?''

I rolled my eyes when Tyler made a show of rubbing his shoulder as if I had hurt him."To be an idiot, Lockwood."

There was a guttural laugh at my side, shaking me slightly by our closeness and I felt a slight warmth in my embarrassed cheeks. If I was not embarrassed to be in Mason's arms, it was certainly different now. I looked everywhere but at the two Lockwoods and ended up meeting Felix's mischievous orbs who offered me his first real teasing smile ever since I went to get him here.

"I did not introduce me."He suddenly declared to Mason, making my eyes wide open in anticipation. "I'm Felix. Mila's best friend. "

Mason squeezed his outstretched hand, giving me a mocking look."Her best friend, huh? Just that."He turned his attention to Felix." I'm Mason Lockwood. Tyler's uncle. "

I bit the inside of my cheek in apprehension at the way Felix was going to react to this information and knew he was controlling himself when I noticed that slight tick of his upper lip telling me that we had better leave.

I pulled away from Mason and looked at the two Lockwoods with a sincere smile."We need to go but it was nice to see you again, Mason. We should ... do something before you leave to find the perfect wave."

"Sure, little Gilbert."Scoffed Mason before picking up his phone in the pocket of his incredibly well-fitting jeans on his bulging thighs.

Oh God! What did I just think?

I shook my head slightly, intentionally avoiding Felix's smirk when I saw Damon blatantly check in Mason before he shifted his gaze to me and crossed my bluish orbs with intensity. I was lost in his mesmerizing eyes a little longer than necessary and jumped slightly when Felix pushed me with his elbow to see that Mason stared at me with a mischievous smile.

"You haven't changed, I see."He teased before handing me his phone. 'There. Save your number. ''

''Oh, well yes. Sure."I stammered before quickly grabbing his phone from his hands and tapping my number into his contacts to try to hide my nervousness and handed it back.''Uh ... ''

I did not even finish my sentence that a vibration was felt in the back pocket of my black skinny jeans and I pulled my phone just to read a text message sign: _**Mason**_. I raised my head to look at him with an incredibly shy smile and tried to chase the heat away from my cheeks.

"Like that, you can also text me." Mason explained with a wink before taking a step forward and swallowing me in a hug and letting me go before I could record the gesture.

''Sure.'' I agreed before giving a wave and quickly turn around just to face Felix's taunts.

''Well, well, I should have known that the older men were your type, Mila."Teased Felix, giving me an accomplice wink that made me send him a non-amused shine.

"No comment, Felix." I was still embarrassed.

"Oh, come on." Felix moaned almost ecstatically."You should see your face right now."

I sighed heavily as I crossed my arms over my chest and raised a bored eyebrow."There's no way you'll let that go, will you?"

''Hm. Let me think?"Felix said, rubbing his thumb against his chin with the expression that these foolish inspector men always used in the dramatic moments of the playoffs." What would you say about ... "A facetious smile adorned his lips with a scowling pout. '' No ''

I hit his shoulder in annoyance and turned back, throwing an insult over my shoulder. "Idiot."

I crossed my arms over my chest as I saw Bonnie talking with Elena. They seemed in a kind of friendly conversation when I felt that feeling creeping up again. My eyes instantly fell on Elena. Long curly brown hair, new sense of style, sexy and feline and especially mischievous.

"Oh no ..." I murmured, widening my eyes as I glued the pieces back. "Katherine."

Suddenly, Bonnie touched her arm and spotted for a moment before displaying a horrified expression.

She knew.

I watched her go or rather run away and immediately launched me in pursuit but a small group of guests blocked me and I lost her sight for a while. I waited for the guests to let me pass by nervously hopping on my feet before giving an annoyed growl when they stayed there and decided to just pass between them. I was looking for Bonnie and ended up finding her almost running with her cell phone to a quiet room.

I glanced cautiously over my shoulder as I slipped through the door that Bonnie had borrowed a few minutes before and instantly slowed down when voices came to me from another adjacent room.

"I gathered all the pieces of Elena's life. Isobel warned me it was a puzzle. And I equated who was Jenna and Jeremy. And I met her ex, the beautiful Matt, who has a crush on Caroline."I knew instantly that it was Katherine and could not help but already feel a hatred for the slut. If it was not enough to have Elena in my life, I had to deal with her damn double psychotic. One thing was certain, I was certainly not going to go sweet with the sick vampire. "And finally, there's you, the witch Bennett, enemy of the vampires. I just have it. "

I stepped into the room with an expression of confidence and crossed my arms over my chest boldly. "You just forgot something. _Me_.''

The two brunettes paid attention to me and the smirk that Katherine sent me only accentuated my impression that she had done it on purpose.

I immediately looked at Bonnie, who seemed completely panicked. "Bonnie, leave us."

Bonnie performed instantly but Katherine was way too fast and blocked her way leaving me completely helpless in the face when she suddenly began to twist and stand in pain under my bewildered gaze. Only it shook her that the space of a moment like the vampire easily resisted the magic of Bonnie and soon leaped forward.

"It's been a long time since I'm hanging around. You'll have to do better than that.''Warned Katherine before she jumped on a frightened Bonnie and slammed her against the wall near the swinging doors.

"Bonnie." I cried, darting right at them, just to stop me when Bonnie used her magic to open the doors with a big slam.

Katherine looked at me over her shoulder with her vampire face before she shifted her gaze to the front-facing doors to control herself and sat up on Bonnie."Not bad."

Suddenly, Stefan came in through the doors and gave me an anxious look before spotting the vampire and witch on the side.''Katherine?''

"Stefan." Acknowledged Katherine with a carnivorous smile that made me nauseous. She looked at him like a piece of meat and her previous words resurfaced in my mind.

"Leave them alone." Stefan ordered coldly.

Katherine shrugged nonchalantly and released Bonnie."Whatever you want."I hurried to the side of the witch who seemed relieved when I came across Katherine's malicious brown orbs."We'll meet again, Mila."

I narrowed my gaze on her in hate and helped Bonnie get that distance between her and the vampire. "The only place we'll meet again Katherine is hell and I don't plan to die now."

''Never say never.''Sing-song Katherine in a perky manner giving me goose bumps at her unnuedo and my gaze darted at Stefan who was giving me a sharp look before following quickly after the vampire.

I turned to Bonnie and examined her quickly."Hey, nothing broken?"

"Yeah, yeah." Bonnie vigorously nodded before swallowing and looked at me carefully."How are you doing this?"

I raised a chiseled, confused eyebrow."Do what?"

"That." Bonnie drew back, pointing furiously to where Katherine had been standing before."All that. The vampires. The threats. Lives in danger and yet, you are always calm and rested. You are barely out of adolescence Mila. You're only sixteen. "

I cautiously approached Bonnie's understanding that she was reaching a breaking point and could easily understand her. I knew the temperament of the brunette but the last events had been much too intense even for someone as strong as the witch.

''Hey! Hey! Bonnie. It's okay!"I took one of her hands and gave her a tug and a reassuring nod." It'll be okay. "

The brunette gave me a sympathetic nod and took a deep breath before raising her chin, shaking."We should find Elena."

"Yeah, the real one this time." I tried to joke to ease the mood but the brunette just gave me a glare before shaking her head and start dragging me with her.

We were crossing the main hall once again and I immediately began to search for Felix in guilt. I had given him up when I promised that I would not do it, but after what had happened, I knew I had made the right decision. I did not want to lie to him again and repeat what had happened at the Founders' Day. It was selfish on my part but if Felix needed me, he did not think about all my lies and I could have my best friend by my side.

''Elena? ''

I was not really paying attention in what war climate Bonnie had led us until I spotted Damon about to leave with a vexed expression plastered on his face. One glance at my sister was enough to make me understand that she had to be the reason for his pain again and I could not help but give a worried look at the vampire.

''Bonnie. What is happening?''

I took my eyes from Damon to look at Bonnie before I looked down at Elena. I had let the trio handle the problem while I went looking for Felix. I wanted to be there for him and I was going to be there. I poked my head in one of the rooms, looking for the faces each turn for the familiar brown but could not find him anywhere. It was already twenty minutes that I was looking for him and I still had no sign of him. I sighed tiredly as I entered a seemingly empty room and walked straight to the luxurious fabric sofa while pulling my phone out of my jeans pocket before checking my text messages. Empty.

I dropped back heavily on the couch looking straight ahead before unlocking my screen and dialed Felix's number. I listened to his tone reaching his voicemail directly and sighed before hearing the beep and taking a breath.

''Hey, Felix. It's me, Mila. I looked for you at the ceremony but you must be gone, so... '' I was searching for the words, in vain before pinching the bridge of my nose and letting my head fall against the back of the sofa. '' Listen, I'm sorry. I told you that I didn't want to leave you and I still messed up. I really want to be here for you, Felix. You're my friend and if I can still do things then I'll probably go to your home later, you know. Bring a lot of DVDs and ice cream or something else. Just ... text me, ok? Bye. ''

I hung up before throwing my phone on the couch and moaned, running my hand down my face in frustration.

'' Ow! It seemed hopeless."I pushed two fingers off my face to stare at my visitor and rolled my eyes as Damon settled by my side.

"What do you want, Damon?" I was already annoyed by his presence.

I could feel empathy for the vampire but that did not mean I could forgive him all his actions. Even though it was Katherine he had kissed, he had thought to kiss Elena and that was all that mattered.

'' I see. Back to hating me, too."He said, rolling his bluish orbs over as he rested his arm on the file behind me.

"Uh ..." I turned to the side to face him with an arching eyebrow in questioning, "When did I stop hating you?"

Damon rolled his eyes again and swallowed the rest of a glass of alcohol that I did not even notice at first before staring at me with a smirk."Oh, Mila. You, as I know, have stopped hating me for a long time. ''

I gaped at the vampire in disbelief before quickly regaining control of my expression when I saw his smug smile and pushed him with all the strength I could muster.

"Can you act even more arrogant?" I sneered with a scowl when I straightened up to leave but was not counting on the vampire who closed his hand on my wrist without the slightest effort. I lowered my eyes to his grip before squinting at the vampire."Damon, let me go."

The vampire gauged me for a moment in a tense silence making me bristle my hair on my arms in a shudder before feeling the red rise to the cheeks when I noticed his eyes fallen on my heart that was drumming furiously against my chest. His grip on my wrist loosened instantly as his gaze was slowly back to my eyes and I felt his fingers danced on the top of my hand before closing gently on my hand leaving me a feeling of warmth where he had touched me.

"Damon," I was helplessly unable to control my voice and when he pulled me back onto the couch, I was simply unable to resist any resistance.

I calmed a leg under my buttocks as my head rested in my free hand leaning against the back and silently watched the vampire in front of me. I tried to ignore the bubbling sensation in the hollow of my chest as he traced relaxing circles on the back of my hand before plunging his intense gaze into my baby blue eyes again.

"Do you really hate me?" He asked, his tone devoid of any mischief and I knew that I could not answer without taking his feelings accordingly.

I could not lie to him and act like my usual bored and sarcastic with the vampire.

I slowly removed my hand from his and focused my attention on the vampire with my deadly tone. "Damon. I will not play one of your games today. I really want to give you a share of my friendship but the truth. You're only asking because Elena hurt you and I wouldn't be Elena. I don't want to hurt you.''

I was getting closer, hesitant about the vampire wearing a totally blank expression to my words and soon, I put my arms around his chest and adjusted my chin on his shoulder. It was strange to hug Damon but if I had to be honest with myself, it was pretty nice. He still had that smell of sweet wood mixed with the bitter aftertaste of alcohol, leather and the freshness of mint. A strange combination, certainly but nevertheless intoxicating.

Then, I detached myself but always remained close to the vampire.

I crossed his shady orbs filled with emotionality and gave a quick pinch on his shoulder."I'm sorry for what Katherine did to you."

I put a chaste kiss on his angular jaw and straightened up by grabbing my phone and walked straight for the exit missing the touch of Damon where I had kissed.

* * *

I had not gone to see Felix and he had still not called me back. The conversation with Damon literally drained me of all my energy and I went home instead.

It was now dark and I found myself wrapped up in my blankets with my pajamas, which consisted of a pair of checkered cotton pants and a black hoodie as I stared blankly into the void. I did not know if what I had said to the vampire had been the right thing.

I mean, I did not hate him, it sure but why tell him that when he just wanted to hear something else. I just did not want to be like Katherine or Elena. I did not play with people, let alone Damon. It still was mostly a mystery to me but until now, I had been unable to lie to the vampire. Our first meeting demonstrated this point. Even if he had forced me later, I was the one who spoke first. I had unveiled something I had withheld for months and things had gotten worse from there.

Suddenly, a loud slam coming from the other end of my room beckoned me and I jumped on my feet without even bothering to think.

As soon as I had walked through the door of my room, I could hear Elena screaming and run instinctively into her room to simply look helpless as Damon slammed Jeremy's neck before dropping him to the ground like a vulgar puppet.

"Jeremy!" I cried at the same time that Elena shouted Damon's name and the said vampire turned to me with wide eyes distraught and filled with guilt but I did not know how I was running right through the room before I dropped to my knees and began to rock my twin's head crying.

Now when one says that the twin separation was the most atrocious thing that could be that was much worse. I literally felt a part of myself sunk in darkness and pain. The pain was oppressive and heartbreaking. Tears kept pouring in as my heart broke into pieces with every look, I took from my brother lying on the floor. It was like my world was torn apart again and I could not stop my cries. I had lost him. My double. My half. The only person who counted as a part of myself. He was gone and he would never come back.

"No ... Jer ... wake up ... wake up ... Jer ... I beg you." I was a complete mess and my cries got stronger and stronger as reality sank into my mind.''E-E-Elena!''

"Mila, look," Elena interrupted me, but I could barely hear her through my broken cries until she put her hand on my shoulder and shook me to get my attention.''He will get better. He will get by. He's wearing John's ring."

I instantly lowered my eyes to his hand and a sense of relief settled immediately in my chest when I spotted the ring similar to Ric's on his ring finger.

Only he was still unconscious and everything seemed far too real for me to let him go.

I put a long kiss on his forehead, closing my eyes and just pulled me out enough to whisper comforting words. "You heard. You're going to make it. You're going to make it.''

It seemed that in the meantime, Elena had called Stefan and the vampire had first tried to get me away from my brother's body to reassure me but I had violently rejected him by clinging to Jeremy as dear life.

Finally, Stefan had abandoned and looked helplessly at my sister and me as we were holding a Jeremy still unconscious waiting for him to wake up.

''You saw the ring ? That's why he did it. He knew."Tried Stefan to explain his brother's cruelty but it only fueled the anger in my belly.

"Don't defend him, Stefan." I exploded, keeping my eyes on Jeremy and I could see Elena's start at my barked but didn't do anything.

''No. He didn't see the ring. "Elena said to me just as disoriented.

"It's because of Katherine. She put it out of him and all that was good about him, went up in smoke."Stefan said again.

Even though part of me wanted to listen for Stefan's words, I was too blinded by anger. He had killed without even a thought the only being on earth who counted more than my own life in my eyes and he had killed him. I could not think about the redeemable abilities of the vampire.

Not now, never.

Elena thought in a similar way, though always in her way of judgment. "There is nothing good in Damon. Not anymore. He decided in which side he wanted to be. He doesn't want to feel anything anymore. He wants to be hated, it's easier for him. He had what he wanted."

If he wanted to be hated then it was done. If I did not hate him before, I did it now and my hatred for the vampire had no limit. I was just listening to Elena's cries as I kept my attention focused on my twin only until he suddenly stood up and took a deep breath.

"Oh my god, you're fine?'' I cried, tightening my grip on my brother just to make sure he was alive.

I had just lived the most painful and longest minutes of my whole life. The idea of losing Jeremy had sent me completely into an abyss of darkness even deeper than the one I fell in when my parents died, and now I knew that if I lost my twin then I would lose myself.

"Jeremy?" Elena called him as Jer look back and forth between us still disoriented by his return from the dead.

Jeremy stared at his self and widened his eyes in realization. "He killed me. Damon killed me."

I threw myself on Jeremy as Elena whispered comforting words and I crossed the emerald green orbs of Stefan who gauged me with pity and remorse. I kept a tight hold on my brother as I continued my tacit exchange with Stefan before pushing my face into my twin's shoulder.

* * *

After Jeremy's wake up, I did not let him go out of my watch and I found myself now locked against his chest warm and especially listening to his heartbeat. He had understood how much the idea of his death had upset me and let me sleep with him only, the idea of sleeping when I kept seeing his body lying on the ground every time I closed my eyes no longer seemed so inviting.

Suddenly, the bedroom door creaked, letting a faint glow of light enter the room when I spotted my older sister's faint figure before she walked in and closed the door behind her and silently made her way to his bed. She stopped on the opposite side of Jeremy's bed on which I was standing and observed the sleepy form of our brother before shifting her attention to me. Her foamy orbs crossed my blue night and I gently pulled Jeremy against me to give her room to slip under the covers.

She pulled off her socks and circled her arm around our brother's trunk before intertwining her fingers with my own.

I welcomed the touch with open arms and again took advantage of listening to the sweet snoring of my twin with a weak smile on my lips when Elena put a pressure on my hand before whispering so as not to disturb the sleep of our brother."I love you, Mila. I don't know what I would do without you two. "

A silence followed her words and my smile grew in the warmth and love that her words had aroused in my chest.

Maybe our life was fucked right now, but as long as we had the back of each other, we could take everything that came along the way. I slid even closer to Jeremy and hummed a weak - _I love you too-_ before closing my eyes with a smile always plaster on my face.


	24. Chapter 24 : Talk

**Chapter twenty-four : Talk**

I could not believe that I had gotten into this.

My legs ached like hell and my lungs burned like they were on a bonfire and the worst part was that I was not even ready to catch up with them. These guys were like freaking arrows. Even Stefan might have some problem to distance them and knowing his vampire statue it meant something.

"Hey! Hey!"I screamed breathless before almost tripping head first on the earthy soil of Lockwood Plantation before I stopped completely and took long breaths, leaning on my legs." Stupid ... Boys ... Lockwood. ''

I heard crunchy quick footsteps against the ground and I looked up from the ground to meet the mocking smile of a Mason dressed in simple sweat shorts and a tank top.

"C'mon, you wouldn't let Tyler beat you anyway." Mason suggested in a conspiratorial tone, pulling me a strangled laugh between my jerky breaths, and I sat up, sweeping strands of my sweaty forehead.

''When you offered to go running with Tyler, I didn't think right.'' I said, swallowing in the effort to make Mason laugh better.

Soon his outstretched hand entered my field of vision and I raised an eyebrow, questioning what he thought that only made him smile even bigger. "Come on. Get on my back. It's out of the question that I let him win against us, I will never hear the end otherwise."

"Uh ... you know that I weigh more than just a backpack, right?" I asked slightly embarrassed before blushing when he scanned my body openly from head to toe.

"Believe me, I'm pretty strong."He assured himself confidently before giving me a wink and taking a step forward to throw me without my consent on his back. I let out a little breath in surprise before closing my legs tight around his hips and was grateful that no one could see my scarlet blush as he let his hands dragged on my thighs to make sure I was holding on."Ready? ''

I nodded silently, not really trusting my voice right now until I realized that he was still waiting for my answer and forced me out of a weak - _yes-_ before tightening my hold on his neck a lot when he started running around at full speed. It was completely crazy. It was as if my form was no heavier than a feather for him and even before I could realize we had passed Tyler.

I smirked over my shoulder as he screamed curses in incredulity at our speed and when I looked back, I could already see Lockwood Manor getting closer as we advanced. Mason stepped into the breathless hall and I let out a little cry of victory when Tyler joined us behind.

"Who's the best Lockwood?" I snapped with a victorious smile that made Mason laugh before he carefully placed me on my feet.

"You cheated, Mila." Tyler defended, giving me a slight punch in the arm with a teasing smile.

I shrugged in indifference before I started to stretch myself with my arms in the air."You never said that I couldn't use Mason to my advantage." I pulled my tongue out from the youngest Lockwood arousing more laughter from the three of us before watching the boys with a cheery smile totally unaware of the vampire listening to our conversation."Anyway, how many turns did we make? 7?''

''Oh no, 6.'' Objected Mason with mischief. '' I can't count the last one. You were picking it up. "

"What?" Exclaimed Tyler, gaping in disbelief.

"Yeah. I even think I saw your grandmother walking past you with the walker."Taunted Mason made me shrink my eyes on him before hitting his arm in annoyance when he just smiled more.

"Yeah. That's it. Get on us!"Grumbled Tyler before starting to pull off his T-shirt, letting me turn my eyes away from embarrassment before he's calling out." And take off your shoes. They are full of mud and my mother is ... "

"Ok." Mason agreed before running as I stepped back to the exit, grabbing my water bottle.

"Actually ... ''I draw the attention of both Lockwoods to me. '' I'll leave you alone. I still must take a long shower to wash myself of all this sweat and I wanted to go see Caroline before having to serve as a slave to my older sister for this stupid carnival, so ... "

"No worries, little Gilbert. We see each other at the carnival anyway."Mason reminded me with a charming wink and I shook my head with a smile before nodding and giving Tyler a wave before hitting the steps and walking up the stairs to my SUV.

* * *

After a good relaxing shower, I dried my hair with a towel while walking wearing a simple cotton towel in my room.

The music blasting in the background of my laptop baffles, I headed for my screen and carelessly threw on my bed my towel that I used for my hair before sliding my index finger on the cursor and look up on the MICEFA University website.

It was one of my choices in my assignments and although I was only sixteen, the recent incident with Jeremy made me think. I did not want to stay indefinitely locked in the vampire world. I wanted to live, learn and most of all, grow old and if going the furthest from Mystic Falls was what it took to get it all so that was what I was going to do.

Currently, I was looking for summer internships in the arts section. I wanted to get all the chances from my side and I was seriously thinking about leaving. In addition, New Orleans had always been a place that made me dream. With all its mystical landscapes and this festive atmosphere.

I decided to print a copy of the inscription while I tried to find an outfit for the day. I opted for a simple sports bra and a loose white short-sleeved T-shirt and black high-waisted skinny jeans. I swapped my dresser for my clothes quickly and ran my fingers through my knots before retrieving the registration sheet and leaving it in a corner of my desk for later. I grabbed a pair of low boots and made my way up the stairs to find Jenna sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Hey, aunt Jenna." I greeted as I poured a cup of black coffee before leaning against the sink to look at her as she turned to me. "What are you doing? ''

Jenna rolled her eyes and let out a faint growl. "Duties. Who would have thought that psychology required so much work?"

I let out a giggle at her dramatic look and poured the rest of my coffee into the sink before making my way to her side. '' You'll get there.''

I said before looking at my phone screen in hope for a sign of Felix simply to sigh when I came with nothing. " I should go. See you later, Jenna. "

I took my keys in the bowl and quickly made my way outside when a letter sitting on the door drew my attention. I frowned as I picked it up and raised an intrigued eyebrow when I saw my name written on it in cursive letters. I looked around for any sign of the person who might have dropped it but found only the empty streets of my neighborhood. I turned the letter in my hands with curiosity before tearing it and widened the eyes in panic to its contents.

 **Tic, tac! Make the clock!**

 **The game starts.**

 **But what happens when the clock stops and time is dead?**

 **K** _.  
_

K.

It could only mean one person and I felt my stomach sinking into churn. It was Katherine. From the moment I met her, I felt this presentiment that everything would become even more dangerous and worse than all we had already overcome but it seems that the vampire had decided to make me her personal project. She was playing with me and her enigma was the proof.

I reread the note again, trying to understand the meaning of her words but my mind could not come with anything. It was a threat, it was certain and the fact that I could not understand it only accentuated this feeling of anxiety.

I knew I had to talk to Stefan about it as soon as possible but for now, I decided to continue as if nothing had happened. I just wanted to act as if my life was not always on the line since the beginning of the year and have even a normal day. I was aware that it might sound like a mantra in Elena's denial but I needed that.

So with one last sigh, I bent Katherine's note and pocketed it in the back pocket of my jeans before making my way to my SUV and driving towards the hospital. I had not visited Caroline since last time and for good reason, I still hated hospitals so much and to be honest, the latest events had not really left the place to pay a visit.

I parked in one of the empty spaces in the Mystic Falls Memorial Hospital parking lot and shut down the engine before releasing a deep expiration before leaning against the back of my seat. As if my apprehension was not enough, the note Katherine still weighed heavily in my back pocket and no matter what I tried to do to distract myself from thinking of her threat, the words kept popping up in my mind.  
In an act of complete frustration, I unfastened my belt and pulled the note before flattening it against the center of my steering wheel and let my eyes wander once again through the vampire's neat handwriting.

 **Tic, tac! Make the clock!**

 **The game starts.**

 **But what happens when the clock stops and time is dead?**

 **K.**

What did that mean? It was obvious that this meant the beginning of her plan but there was something more important that weighed on my mind.

The vampire used the word _'' dead ''_ and in my opinion it was not for nothing. It could mean one thing and my heart sank in my chest at this realization.

Someone was going to die.

No matter what we could do to prevent it, someone was going to die and Katherine was playing her sick and crooked game, warning me that knowing that I could do nothing to stop her.

The ringing of my phone rang in the thick atmosphere of the cabin and I jumped at the note before picking up my cell phone in my cupholder before robbing it in my ear.

"Yes?" I asked, looking for the note that was now nesting between my pedals as my interlocutor became known.

"Hey ... hello, Mila."

I straightened instantly at the agreement of the voice of Felix, the note of Katherine already forgotten and grabbed my steering wheel to stabilize me. "Felix? It's really you?''

"Yeah." There was a long silence at the other end of the line before a blast was heard followed by a slight creak. "Mila ... I think something is wrong with me.''

''What? How's that?"I asked, becoming more and more worried about his serious tone." What do you mean by wrong?"

"I don't know but I think I'm going crazy."

I tightened my grip on my steering wheel by swallowing it."Listen, Felix, I'm in the hospital to see Caroline but I'm coming to see you as soon as I go out, kay? Just stay at home and we'll see that together. I promise you everything will be fine."

"Okay! Yeah ... okay. I'm waiting for you."Felix accepted weakly before the tone announcing that he had hung up sounded.

I would scream in my phone in exasperation at all this mess and ended up throwing it sharply on the passenger seat before hitting my steering wheel violently.

''Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! "I exploded, drumming with all my might, forgetting the pain I felt in my fists."Fucking shit! "

I knew something was wrong with Felix and Tyler but I just did not want to see anything. It was obvious that what was happening to Felix was the same thing that Tyler had confided to me a few weeks earlier, and I would try to cut that that had to do with the common bond.

After what had happened to the mayor, it was obvious that something supernatural was related to the Lockwood since the invention intended for the vampires of the tomb had also touched them. Tyler and Felix had both lost control of their vehicles and at the same time. They had heard this noise and then they had lost it.

I was sure they were not vampires and for good reason, I had enough vampire to know how to differentiate them but that did not prevent that they were not something else and that made me more conscious of my reality. I knew I was a damn magnet to the supernatural but at that point it defended all the laws of nature.

I stopped my rage and looked at my bruised fists with a grimace before turning my attention to the distant doors of the hospital through my window. I ran my hands over my face releasing a breath felt before opening my door and close behind me. I could already feel the feeling of apprehension build inside my chest but still made me violent taking a step forward.

I was heading straight for Caroline's room with a slight frown when I saw the empty reception and soon knock on the window with a sharp snap before just entering to let out a horror gasp at the sight of her.

Caroline ripping through the carotid artery of one of the nurses.

''Oh my god, Caroline, no! '' I cried, closing the door before throwing myself on the blonde who had detached herself from the woman with eyes wide in horror.

I was doing the first thing that came to my mind and pulled the curtains wide open to let the light in and look in terror as Caroline moved in a corner away from the sun with a scream of pain at a speed unlikely.

Suddenly, the sound of the nurse's moan beckoned me, forcing me out of my shocked state and rush on the woman to make sure of her condition. Her neck was bloody and torn reminding me of a horrific horror movie. I bit my lips before swallowing and grabbed the first tissue that came to hand to put pressure on the wound of the woman who seemed in an amorphous state.

"Oh, Caroline." I sighed as I turned my attention to the blonde to find her rocking back and forth with her arms around her legs and tears running down her cheeks.

"What's happening to me?" She hysterically sang, breaking my heart a little more in each of her pleadings. "What did I do? What did I do?"Caroline lifted her tear-stained blue eyes and widened her eyes in self-disgust."Mila! I'm a monster.''

I just wanted to cry for the blonde here and now.

Katherine's threat was now clear.

I guessed that someone would die but what I did not understand was that it would be much worse. She had not only killed Caroline, she had turned her into a vampire. I knew I could not leave her like this and it was now my role to help her.

I was fully aware of what she could do now but she was different from Vicki. Caroline was the strongest person I knew when we looked beyond the insecurities and even though, she had made a mistake in attacking this nurse that did not mean that I should take it seriously. She had pretty much resisted when we knew she was a newborn in a place supplied with the greatest temptation of blood.

I turned my attention to the woman and lowered her head to look at her glassy eyes and guessed that Caroline had had to compelled her without even noticing.

I took her hand and carried it around her neck to hold the tissue in place. "Keep pressing. It'll be okay. ''

The woman nodded with wide eyes but made no move to flee.

I went away to look at the young vampire on the ground now with pity. I could not even imagine what she must be feeling right now. The confusion, the fear, the disgust of oneself ... and the worst thing was that all this was now exacerbated.

I cautiously approached the blonde not to make her more afraid by my sudden movements."Hey, Caroline. Look at me. Just look at me. Please.''

"What's happening to me?" She asked in a broken voice, looking up at mine.

"It's okay, c'mon, Care. Just listen to me, okay? "I took slow action when she almost threw herself into the wall when she noticed my movement.

''No, no, don't come closer.''She cried hysterically with a frightened expression.'' Why does this happen to me? I look at you and all I can hear is your pulsating blood in your veins. I don't want to hear that. I don't want to hurt you.''

I raised my hand in a soothing attempt and nodded trying to ignore the alarm bells inside my head. "You have to control yourself, Caroline. Inspired. Expires."I gave her a nod to intimidate her to follow my movements and she began to breath control. "Inspired. Expired. That's it. It will be fine. I'll explain everything to you. Just ... breathe. ''

I took one last cautious step towards her and reached out my hand open to help her get up. She gauged for a moment my outstretched hand before nodding and trusting me enough to take my hand. I helped her get up before I stopped when I remembered the sunlight.

''Hold on. Don't move.'' I warned before heading to the windows to pull the curtains closed."You can go now. "I gave her a reassuring nod before I could see her gaze over my shoulder. I remembered the woman who was still with us and looked back at the blonde."Caroline, do you trust me, right?"

The blonde barely dropped her eyes from the woman's neck as she nodded silently and I knew I had to go quickly before the scene I had entered was reproducing.

"I need you to find me a bandage and band-aid" I explained before losing patience when she made no movement to move."Now, Caroline!"

She broke her stupor at my sharp tone and gave me an apologetic look before running through the drawers of her room as I walked to the woman and pulled the fabric away with a disgusted grimace. The dried blood was sticking to the fabric with a sticky sound and I had to restrain myself from gagging.

"Mila." Caroline said to me, handing me the bandages, keeping a safe distance from the woman, and I thanking her before quickly getting to work.

I was working in silence while Caroline had resumed her place on her bed and was strangely quiet in the circumstances. I had to admit that it relieved me because I did not know how I could have handled the situation if she had acted like her usual neurotic and control maniac.

Once I finished, I looked back at Caroline and told her to join me."Well, I need you to concentrate and look in her eyes. You tell her to forget everything that happened, right?"

''But how? '' Questioned the blonde and I gave her a sharp look in impatience.

"You told her not to move, did you?" I asked in a tone of fact and Caroline gauged me in disbelief before nodding, hesitantly. "This is called compulsion. It's a bit like controlling the mind if you prefer."

I pushed aside slightly to give her the space she needed to exercise her magic and waved my hand.

Caroline plunged her bluish orbs into those dark of the nurse and repeated after me."You will forget everything that happened. I didn't bite you and you don't remember anything."

I waited for the woman to repeat what Caroline had compelled her to do, but she widened her eyes further and brought her hand to her neck in terror."You bit me!"

''Argh! Concentrate, Caroline."I growled.

It seemed so easy for Damon and Stefan so it should not be that difficult for Caroline. Besides, she had already done it.

"Hey, it's not my fault."The blonde grumbled, taking a step back before moaning."That doesn't work, Mila."

"Care!" I barked sternly, widening the blonde's eyes and startling the woman to my outburst."You have to concentrate, put efforts on it. Don't think of anything else. Just focus on what you tell her."Caroline sighed and I narrowed my eyes to her." Don't sigh. Come on we don't have all day!''

I crossed my arms over my chest as Caroline repeated the action and I smiled a small smile when the woman repeated like an automated robot before pinching the bridge of my nose when Caroline compelled the nurse to pass her bite for strange sexual practices of the nurse's husband.

"Seriously?" I was not amused as Caroline almost jumped into the euphoria making me sigh, tired. "Tell her to leave now, we have things to discuss." I explained as I went back, I was serious as I knew I had to explain everything to her.

I was waiting for Caroline to do her mental work before hailing the nurse before she left to tell her to sign Caroline's papers for the night. After explaining to her everything that had happened in the last few months and the real relationship she had shared with Damon, I had her explain what she was now.

A vampire.

At first, she was completely freaked out, but after hours of explanation in more detail and the discovery of all that was now available to her, Caroline was much calmer.

I did not really appreciate the part in which I had to defend the benefits of vampirism since I was not in favor but I had to help her at best and if put into perspective the thing was what had to be done to help her get through all this so that was what I had to do.

I was now leaning against the wall in front of her hospital bed while the blonde was staring into space with a slight frown engraved on her perfect face.

"So ... Stefan, Damon are vampires?" She asked, looking up at me in search of an answer.

"Yep!" I agreed with a nod."And you, too, now."

Her frown deepens in confusion."But Elena ... it's her ... she's the one who killed me."

"Yeah on that ... um, do you remember what I said to you about Katherine?" I asked, slightly frustrated, as Caroline wrinkled her lips as she nodded uncertainly."Elena didn't kill you.''

'' But ... ''

''I know. They are alike but believe me, Elena is not the one who killed you."I interrupted her with envy for an analgesic. I rubbed my temples in pain before letting out a tired sigh, looking out the window. "It's dark. We should go."I gathered her belongings in a pile and threw it on her bed." I'll see if the papers are in order. "

I gave her a weak reassuring smile before closing the door behind me and released a frustrated sigh. It was probably the worst day of my life. I had never thought that my visit would involve coming here, but I had to admit that I was relieved that it was me who had found her. It could have been worse. Much worse.

I hit my thigh in irritation before looking for my phone in my pocket. I had felt my cell phone vibrate many times during my explanation with Caroline and I knew that now must be the moment where I should face the messages of Elena for my absence. I paraded through my mail when I found a message from Felix and pinched the bridge of my nose in the realization. I had been so busy with Caroline that I had completely forgotten about Felix. I locked my screen by mailing myself to the reception desk and rang the bell, leaning against the desk impatiently.

"Hey, how can I help you?" Asked the same nurse that Caroline had attacked and I could not stop my gaze from settling on her neck before grimacing and refocusing my attention.

''Oh, Uh ... I came to get the papers for my friend. Hm, Caroline Forbes?''

"Oh, sure. One minute."She warned me with a raised finger before looking for a lot of form from a stack of paper and handing them to me with a benevolent smile.

I accepted the papers with a guilt-smirking smile when I thought what she had suffered because of us and turned around in order to get as far away as possible. It was a purely selfish act but I did not prefer to look longer at what I had done.

I turned the handle of Caroline's room, absently glancing at the papers."Hey, Caroline, I have the papers. We can-"I immediately rushed into the open bathroom to just find it empty like the rest of the room.

"Well Shit!"

* * *

"Caroline, I swear I'll stake you from the moment I put my eyes on you, it's clear? Staking you! "I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose as I turned around watching the area before resuming my monolog." Seriously, Caroline, call me back. You're not fit to be with all these people, you could hurt someone and I know you don't want to do it. So ... just call me back! ''

I hung up my phone in exasperation and continued my search for the blonde-headed vampire through the fairground lot of people. It was obvious that Caroline had come here since she was supposed to be the supervisee and knowing her manic trait of control, I knew she would be here.

Only she could not be found and I was seriously beginning to worry about what could happen. I should never have managed this alone. In fact, I'll call Stefan from the moment I found Katherine's note.

I cursed myself a bit more in my mind as I continued my way through the stadium. Music and bright lights did nothing to calm my irritation and worry down, and I was in a hurry when I saw a familiar brown head on the back.

I stopped dead in my tracks.

I would recognize this silhouette among a thousand and knew that the evening would only worsen for me. With an impulse, I made my way straight to Felix and already mentally prepared for what was to follow.

I gently grabbed his arm and he was quick to turn around with what looked like a crazy look of ... relief?

"Mila, you're here."Sighed Felix leaving me in total confusion as he closed his arms on me in a hug."I've been looking for you everywhere."

I was quickly getting away from Felix by keeping him at arm's length as I frowned in surprise and confusion. '' What happened? ''

I did not even have time to breathe that Felix pulled me with him aside and began to stimulate furiously passing his hands through his dark hair.

''I don't know. I mean, it's impossible. It couldn't happen. I couldn't see what I saw. That kind of thing doesn't exist."He said to the minute, stimulating back and forth, leaving me even more confused and now panicked about what he had seen.

"Felix!" I screamed to force him to look at me and the boy stopped short before he looked incredulously at me."What did you see?"

"I-I ... I was ... I don't know why but I followed Tyler earlier." I was staring at that, feeling my heart pounding in my chest in worry. " I want to talk to him, I guess ... or I don't know. I didn't have clear ideas but there was this guy and ... he shoved him. And then, there was this anger. It was as if he couldn't even control himself anymore. Mila, I know that what I saw shouldn't exist but there was his uncle and he jumped on a car as a-an animal and ... and ... you should have seen his eyes."

After that, Felix looked at me as if he expected me to think he was crazy.

I could feel fear and disbelief in his eyes as he was still trying to deal with what he had just witnessed while I was literally frozen on the spot. I did not know what to think or what to say. I could not tell him the truth, not with what was already happening with Caroline. I had made too many revelations today and I was not ready to integrate a new person into this world.

Only, I knew that the only solution now was to let Felix go. I could no longer hold him in the trouble water and wait until he didn't ask a question, especially when he attended such a thing.

All of a sudden, my phone ringed, thawing my catatonic state.

I looked up at Felix in the excuse when I saw the number of Caroline and immediately turned to answer in a hurry to the blonde. '' Caroline! Damn it, where are you? "

"Mila?" Her clumsy tone was very clear and I was tightening my grip on my phone in worry."Mila, I need help. I ... I almost attacked Matt and I can't control myself. Please, Mila help-''

''Okay, Care! I'm coming soon. Tell me, where are you?"I was totally freaked out that Caroline might lose control.

I could hear her footsteps on the other end of the line as well as her jerky breath in disarray as she must be trying to spot her surroundings and soon, a distraught sigh sounded. "I-I don't know, Mila. I don't really know where I am. I would say the parking teachers but I don't know. I don't remember.''

''Okay, stay here, I'm coming, okay? It'll be good, I promise you, Care. "

I hung up in the moment and turned to see Felix stared at me with eyes misted with tears of incomprehension and panic.

"Felix ..." I ran my hand over my forehead in a disjointed air, feeling ashamed to abandon him after what he had to endure tonight, but I could not let something happen to Caroline because of me.

''Go.''Sighed Felix, a hint of betrayal in his voice as he gauged me at length, leaving me all the more guilty.

"I'm sorry, Felix."

I immediately started walking towards the parking lot when noises of struggle called out to me. I started at once in a frantic race before I stopped in my tracks when I spotted Caroline hysterically shouting at Elena while Stefan propelled Damon to the ground. I forced myself to intervene between the two girls to try to calm Caroline and protect Elena in the second.

''No, no, Caroline, remember what I explained to you. It wasn't Elena but Katherine."I cried in desperation to stop the new vampire who had her chin soaked in blood leaving me with very little interpretation as to what had happened.

''But why? Why, she does that to me, Mila?"Caroline sobbed with all her heart and I looked desperately at Stefan, who with Elena was gauging us in the realization.

"Stefan. You must take her inside."I warned in the hope of getting his attention and the vampire soon nodded in agreement before taking a cautious step towards the blonde.

''Its good. Caroline, come with me!"Stefan reassured her, but Caroline kept her bluish orbs misted with tear on my form as if she were waiting for my agreement.

I shook my head quickly to signal her to follow him. "Go ahead, Caroline. It'll be ok, I promised you. "

The rustling of clothes against the concrete reminded me of the presence of the other vampire Salvatore and I broke a shine on his form at his next words. "She's going to die. It's more than a matter of time. "

I immediately turned my attention to Stefan in panic and found him standing in front of Caroline in a defensive posture.

''Yes. Maybe, but it will not happen tonight. ''

''Oh, If I tell you.''

I did not even have time to blink as Damon straightened up on the floor grabbing the wooden stake that was sitting on the concrete and gasped when Elena stood between Caroline's form and the stake all right for her heart. Damon stopped the stake only a few millimeters away from Elena's heart and hesitated instantly as he plunged his contrite orbs into the panicked ones of my sister.

"Please, Damon. She's my friend."Said Elena, her voice still shaking because of her impending death.

There was a long silence as Damon seemed to be struggling with himself, keeping Elena in his eyes before he finally walked away with a grunt of surrender.

He pointed at Elena with the stake in frustration."Whatever happens from now on, you're responsible!"

I decided to make the first move and posted myself to Caroline by gently putting my hand on her arm before crossing the orbs understanding of Stefan.

"You have to clean her face." I said thoughtfully as Bonnie came out of nowhere with a horrified expression at Caroline's sight.

"Caroline?" Halted the witch, bringing her hand to her lips in terror.

I gave Stefan an instant glance knowing that nothing good could come from this confrontation and he tried to take Caroline aside, to no avail.

''No. You can't be one. It's not possible."Asked Bonnie in disbelief before approaching Caroline to touch her arm and release a horrified breath when she attested to her new nature.

The expression on Caroline's face was probably the most hurtful I could handle as she called after the witch in pain as Bonnie went away in rejection before she saw something in the distance.

I turned my gaze on her trajectory and widened my eyes at the sight of a corpse before turning my attention to Bonnie in the realization."We had to get Caroline out of here and now."I grabbed the blonde's arm and pulled her with me with all the strength I could muster."Go, come on. You can't stay here. ''

I carried almost all of Caroline's weight on my shoulders as she was still in her state of hysteria until I felt a pair of arms pick up her form and looked up to meet Stefan's emotionally bright green orbs.

"I'm taking care of her."He explained in a dry tone but I was shaking my head fiercely in the negation.

''I got her. She trusts me."I said before pulling her into the girls' bathroom with Stefan after us.

I instantly activated the faucets and searched one of the cabins for paper before returning to the vampire who was currently sobbing in Stefan's arms. I gently rubbed her face with a heart-wrenching expression before removing my hand, gauging Stefan in the pleading before returning my gaze to the blonde.

"Hush, Caroline. Are you okay? Look at me, Care. ''

"She hates me."The blonde said, digging a new hole in my chest in pity as I watched Stefan totally petrified in the helplessness that tried to contradict her words that we both knew were true.

"Bonnie hates me." Caroline insisted, sobbing more.

Stefan forced her to look at him and ran a gentle hand over his face to calm her down."No. She is only in shock like all of us."

I kept cleaning her face as she took a step back with a horrified and lost expression."What am I doing for Matt? How am I going to handle this with Matt? "

''Hush! ... hush! ... hush! ... '' Hummed Stefan to calm her down before giving me a meaningful look.'' One thing after another. Start already by cleaning yourself. C'mon … Go ahead!''

I took a step aside as Caroline began cleaning herself as she continued to curse herself for what she had become, worrying me more about Stefan's feelings. "I am ... I am a murderer and I am a monster, a horrible monster.''

I knew him well enough to know he was blaming himself for all this and if it was not hard enough to have had to deal with Caroline before, Vicki's memory still haunted him.

"No, Caroline." I said instantly, alerting the two vampires who were now gauging me emotionally. "Listen to me, your emotions are more intense than ever. It's just part of the transformation. That's normal, we talked about it. Do you remember? You have no fears to have. Trust me!''

I tried to ignore the emotionally mixed look of curiosity before feeling a pinch in the heart when Caroline turned to the mirror and looked in disgust at her vampire face before turning away abruptly.

"That thing."Cried the vampire in disgust."Why does this happen to me all the time? I'm awful. "

I gave Stefan a look for help and he immediately turned to the blonde to try and stop the hysteria.

''Look at me! Caroline! Look at me, Caroline! Look at me! Look at me! Go! Look at my face!"I held my gaze as Stefan unveiled his own vampire face and could see the blonde staring silently in the realization.'' Look towards my eyes! You see. You see that.''

Caroline gave me a slightly hesitant side glance before shaking her head slightly in tears in affirmation. "When you feel like it's going to happen to you, tell yourself that you'll overcome this ordeal, that you're strong enough."

Caroline objected instinctively but Stefan shook her gently to force her to look at him again. "Yes, Caroline. Do it! And even if this feeling seems pleasant to you, that you want to give way. Resist! Push back and think no more! Look at me! Look at me! Only then you can survive. "

"Concentrate yourself, care." I reminded her of what we had done earlier. "Like at the hospital. Try it! Hush! ... try it! ''

I bit my lip in apprehension as I waited for Caroline to regain control and could not stop the spread of my proud smile when her face returned to normal.

"That's good."Said Stefan, giving me a look with a nod.

"Why did Katherine do this to me?" Caroline sniffed again making me look at Stefan in anxiety.

From what I had seen and heard of the vampire, I knew it was just the beginning. Caroline was not just a collateral damage, she was part of a plan much bigger than anything we could imagine and I was sincerely fearful for the future. I felt this feeling that everything was going to get worse and unfortunately, nothing we could do would change anything.

"I don't know. I wish I could answer you ..."Stefan sighed in defeat before refocusing his attention on the vampire who sobbed more beautifully." Hey! Caroline. I promise to watch over you. I will protect you. Nothing will happen to you. Come here! It will be fine.''

I closed my arms on my trunk to comfort myself as Stefan hugged Caroline in a soothing embrace as he plunged his intense gaze into mine telling me he had more questions for me. I knew I would have to answer him later and that certainly did not make me happy.

* * *

After Caroline was positively calmer, I had slipped away to let Stefan take care of her and now held me by my locker. I checked my phone again in the hope of distracting myself but ended up only deepening my sense of helplessness. I knew it was useless to wait for news from Felix after what had happened and sighed softly hitting my forehead against the metal door when I heard the opening of the toilet door before feeling a hand on my shoulder.

I knew instantly that it was Stefan and decided to stop the investigation."I knew she was a vampire. Katherine left me this note or rather a fucking riddle on my doorstep earlier and I knew someone was going to die."I was turning in a rage against myself." This bitch warned me. She warned me Stefan and when I found Caroline, I didn't call you. I should have called you. But the truth ... is that I didn't want to. I didn't want to have another vampire drama."I finished weakly without looking into his eyes, feeling intensely guilty and selfish for what I had to admit.

There was a short silence before I felt him shoot me in his chest and hug me tightly and form soothing caresses in my back to reassure me.

I stayed a little longer in his arms until I got off the hook and offered to take Caroline home. The drive had been completely silent as the blonde still seemed to be struggling with her new identity and I had to admit that this was what I needed. I had no desire to speak for the moment and I had made no sound to engage in conversation until I found myself in front of her house and wished her good night before heading down the road towards my house.

* * *

I was now sitting in my desk chair and contemplating in a quasi-religious silence my enrollment sheet for the university.

The more days went by and the more I felt like I was losing everything that was healthy and normal in my life. Every day was more like a perpetual struggle against life and I was seriously beginning to wonder if it was really worth it. I did not even have the strength to move as my gaze remained fixed on the paper on my desk when suddenly, a cold draft made me shudder and also clench my fists and jaw in irritation.

I did not have to turn around to know that the deep blue orbs pierced holes in my head with emotion as my white curtain flew by his side, giving him an even more mystical and supernatural air.

Only, neither he nor I made a move to recognize the other and I had to release a deep sigh in annoyance when I noticed that he would make no move to start the conversation.

Honestly, talking to Damon was the last thing I wanted to do tonight and if giving up the first one could lead him to leave my room as soon as possible so I'd get over it. I still hated him for what he had dared to do to Jeremy and that bitterness would not leave me anytime soon.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped coldly resentfully.

His response was immediate and as usual, not what I expected. "You knew that blonde Barbie was a vampire."

I would clenched my fists in a vise, mentally swearing to keep my cool but it was really hard when I had to face this vampire. I forced myself to turn and found him sitting on the edge of my window, his eyes already on me.

"I knew." I agreed dryly before getting up from my chair, crossing my arms over my chest,"Now that you have your answer, if you don't want to kill me or Jeremy, I'll ask you to leave.''

After that, there was a long silence as I held the emotionally charged look of the vampire and could see the underlying regret but forced me to remember not to crack. I could not forgive him for what he had done. Hell, I was still wondering how I could even dare to forgive him. He had not only exploded and did something unforgivable. He had killed my twin and if it was not for a stupid magic ring then he would definitely be dead and I would be devastated at the same time.

Finally, he got up from his seat and I instinctively took a step back on the defensive which escaped the vampire.

"Listen, Mila, I'm sorry. I had seen the ring, all right.''The vampire apologized viciously, accentuating my hatred of him.

"Bullshit!" I burst out before I remembered Jenna standing downstair."You just broke. Again. As usual, you get broken and you end up hurting the world around you. Only this time, my twin could have stayed dead, okay. He could have died and I would never forgive you for that."

I could see that my words had reached him more than I thought and the anger and pain in his eyes would certainly have made me back down but I was not caring enough right now to worry.

The vampire seemed to struggle internally to contain his rage as he finally let out an exasperated growl and ran his hand through his jet-black hair."I knew I should have come to see you that night. Not Elena. You! ''

I broke my gaze at the vampire, feeling my anger grow bigger. He had no right to say that. He could not change what had happened, much less arrange. I hated him so much right now. I just wanted to make him feel like he had made me feel since he arrived.

Torment, fear, despair, worry, frustration, anger, hate. All these waves of emotion were not even enough to make him feel what I had undergone by his hands.

"Yeah, well ... you and I know that's not what you did, just get out of my room. I wish you were dead right now."I chuckled drily, snapping the vampire's head into disbelief and bothering my sharp words, and if I did not feel that hate, I probably would have regretted it. had taken me at a bad time. ''Just go, Damon. ''

Our tacit glance of gaze lasted longer than I would like to admit, and I could not stop my heartbeat from accelerating before I felt that huge hole in my chest as he left in the breeze, leaving me alone in my pain.

* * *

 ** _Hey, don't forget to continue to vote for your pairing : Stefan - Damon - Klaus - Elijah - Kol_**


	25. Chapter 25 : How far does the dark go ?

**Chapter twenty-five : How far does the dark go**

 _This place again._

 _I looked around with one hand in front of my eyes to protect myself from the light._

 _The lush trees, the sunlight through the leaves, the lake looming in the background, all seemed barely real. I had never seen a place like this. It was almost like this I had been teleported into a fancy grassy field.  
_

 _A bird song rises to my right causing me to jump and I jump to the source of the noise just to let a smile adorn my lips at the sight of a bird perched on top of a tree. He had his curious little eyes on me and I did not hesitate to look back at him with an amused little smile before taking a step forward._

 _"Hey, little guy. You wouldn't know where I am by any chance?"  
_

 _As I predicted, the bird remained on its positions with its watchful gaze when suddenly, he turned his head to the left._

 _I quickly copied his movement in fear just to widen my gaze like a deer caught in the headlights of a car._

 _Laughs._

 _Many of them came in my direction._

 _I felt my heart racing and retreated unconsciously into apprehension. My gaze fixed on the brown trees in front of me, I almost waited to see a horde of people scrutinized me but nothing came._

 _Still, I could still hear the laughs. They grew stronger as the minutes passed.  
_

 _I did not know how much I was here or even how many minutes had passed since I was in this position but I decided to take a new step forward in curiosity._

 _I knew._

 _After all that had happened, I should have known better but to be honest, his laughs seemed strangely familiar and I wanted to know more. It was like this, I was attracted to them._ _I took more steps in the direction than laughed at them simply to find that I could have continued like this to infinity._ _More, I took steps towards people and more, trees came in my path.  
_

 _I stopped in the realization of this fact and immediately made a turn on myself in a state of panic. I had left the clearing in which I was initially for a long time and it seems that I had simply helped to lose me more. I felt a thin stream of sweat forming on my forehead, and my quick breaths from the effort only accelerated further. I was trying to calm my heart in a race but I could not stop my thoughts from running in a rush._

 _Where was I? Was I lost? Was I going to find my way? How was I going to do it? Oh, lord! God, Mila, think! Inspire! Expires! Inspire!  
Another shine. _

_I broke my gaze to the new source of noise instantly forgetting my imminent panic attack and suddenly held my breath at the sight of two flashes of color passed between the trees. I was unable to make a single movement as two forms seemed to stand out from the lush trees. They were getting closer slowly, laughing with them all along. They were close enough now to say they were a boy and a girl._

 _I could not see their faces but the girl had long brown hair almost a black raven braided in a bohemian style while those of a bright blond boy seemed to reach his broad shoulders.  
_

 _They were definitely happy and I could not help but feel a surge of envy as I listened to them venting their happiness._ _A sort of tug pulled me towards them like a magnet and I could not stop my feet from taking me to the bewitching duo._ _I closed my eyes unconsciously and let myself be carried away by the waves of joy surrounding me until I felt a cool touch on my cheeks. I instantly flashed my eyelids open just to freeze at the sight of a man without a face. I wanted to scream, run, run away as far as possible from here, but it was like this, my body was unable to make any movement. The man came closer. So close that I could feel his fresh breath on my own lips and I swallowed my saliva in anticipation just to frown at the throbbing agreement in a boring voice all too familiar._

* * *

"Mila! God, Mila! It's not time to sleep! ''

I flicked my eyes open in surprise just to close them immediately in Elena's sight and flipped back on my side cursing against my mattress.

My groans became more and more annoyed as I felt Elena's eyes piercing holes in my skull and I ended up catching the first object that was in my path before throwing it blindly in the direction of her voice.

''Go away! '' I cried shortly followed by the muffled sound of my pillow falling to the ground and a half-smile settled on my lips as only silence reigned in my room.

I honestly thought that she had finally given up but I suddenly remembered not having heard the familiar slam of my door and instantly straightened up looking for my older sister just to feel anger creeping through my veins right from the moment where my eyes found her. She was frozen, gaping, holding my assignment card for the internship at the university just accentuating my exasperation.

"You couldn't keep your hands from my things, did you?" I chuckled coldly as I pulled my covers off my body.

"Is it ... Mila, what is this ?"

I jumped on my feet, ignoring the chills backing my spine at the sensation of the cold floor against my sole and stumbled straight on Elena to tear the sheet from her hands. I sent her a cold stare before opening the first drawer at hand and slammed it hard after storing my assignment away from prying eyes.

I took a step back with a sigh as I felt Elena's eyes narrowed to the side of my face and I glanced at her sideways in irritation.

The brunette stared at me in disbelief with wide eyes, her foamy orbs going back and forth between me and the paper now under keys.

I shook my head slightly in irritation at her intrusion and worse, again, I blamed myself for being so careless. I knew now that I would never hear the end of it and nothing, I could say would change her mindset. She was going to start an interminable interrogation giving me a headache and I was certainly not ready for that. Especially not after the dream I just had. As I thought about it, I felt a sense of emptiness and confusion settle inside my chest and I could not stop the slight frown from settling on my face.

Temporarily forgetting Elena, I went to my dresser and pulled the first drawer open to choose an outfit for the day but not without trying to find a meaning to my dream.

It was not a nightmare but it was not a dream either.

Suddenly, a slight creak echoed behind me, reminding me of my sister's presence, and I turned around with an eyebrow raised with boredom. ''You stay for the show or?'

Elena seemed instantly to come out of her trance to my obvious sarcasm and sent me a dark stare in my way before announcing her retirement but not without warning me to hurry.

Like if I was really going to listen to her.

I returned to my search for clothing and opted for a simple faded jeans and a hoodie belonging to my father during his years at Whitmore College.

I went into our shared bathroom and blocked all access before leaning against my wooden door with a tired sigh.

This morning had definitely not started well and I suspected that with my luck it would only get worse.

A throbbing pain began to be felt in my temples and I let out a low moan by massaging the beginning of my scalp before returning my attention to the shower. I quickly decompressed my pajamas before letting the water run and jumped under the jet without even waiting for the water to reach its proper temperature. The freezing water instantly made me shudder but I forced myself to stay under the jet in the hope of getting all this morning out of me.

It was just the beginning of the day and yet, I already wanted to go back under my covers.

Finally, hot water appeared and I poured a dab of cinnamon shampoo into my palm before carefully massaging my aching head followed closely by my naked body with my odorless shower gel. I had never been very fond of all its artificial smells that drowned your body in several perfume confused in one.

* * *

I could not believe I was waking up for that. I looked at the front of the boarding house with a deep hatred and turned sharply back to my sister with a murderous glare.

It was very low. Even for her.

I did not want to witness supernatural problems now and she had to fit me here. The only place I did not want to be. What had happened to the sister who wanted to stop me from meeting Stefan because he was too dangerous?

My jaw checked, I crossed my arms on my chest with determination."I wouldn't go in there."

It was out of the question that I put a foot in the pension. There was no urgency for now and no imminent threat so today would be a day without drama.

I had decided and I planned to hold.

"Very mature, Mil." Elena sighed, only increasing my irritation. She turned to me with her famous spoiled child pout and I quickly turned my gaze to gauge the pension with annoyance."Seriously, Mila. Stefan wants to talk to us. Maybe it's about Katherine. "

I blinked in surprise before turning my attention back to her. "Oh, Katherine, huh? And what does it concern me? She's your weird creepy look-alike, not mine. "

I knew it was very immature but I could not care less. All I wanted was to get away from here. I had enough of it. Enough conspiracies, threats, deaths, arguments and all that went in pairs with the vampires. I wanted to recover my life, as insignificant as it was. Elena released the steering wheel, stifled before sighing heavily like a petulant girl and opened her door in a fit of anger. I watched her indifferently as she stomped towards the entrance to the boarding house.

''Huh! "I sniffed in a whisper with bitterness." And then, I'm the so-called immature."

I was not stupid. I understood she was trying to make me feel guilty, but this time I would not give in. I would stay in this car until she agreed to take me home. With this idea in mind, I unbuckled my belt and made myself more comfortable by lifting my feet from my basic converses on the dashboard. I looked absentmindedly at the ceiling and began counting tissue snags to pass the time.

An evil grin adorned my lips as I suspected that Elena must be stimulating in frustration now and I could not help but let go of a grin in the image that presented itself in my mind. The thought of a Stefan overtaking by my sister's emotions was entertaining.

''26. 27.28.29. ''

Yeah, I know. I could be childish when I wanted to.

I looked away at the still open door of the boarding house before returning to my calculation. This car really had a nice design. My gaze fell on the radio player and I arched my head to the side, nodding in approval. I leaned over to reach the power button and soon pop music was blasting through the slaps of Elena's car.

I pulled my phone from the pocket of my denim jacket and started typing a text message to check on our new resident vampire. I knew it was not going to be easy for Caroline and although I had never been closed to the blonde, I could not help but worry. I thought it was just in my genetic material. As soon as I knew someone had some problems, I could not stop worrying about those people.

God, I had spent too much time with Stefan.

I was so engrossed in my screen and the music in its cockpit that I could not even see Alaric's car making its way down Salvatore Lane until he suddenly knock on the door still open from Elena and made me jump at the same time.

"What ... oh my god, Ric." I breathed, holding my chest with wide eyes before sighing as I searched the floor for my phone. I had drop it down in my fright and now I had to find it."What are you doing here?"

Ric folded his arms over his chest with a thick eyebrow arched in the inquisition."I could ask you the same thing. Why aren't you inside? ''

"One word!" I announced, raising my index finger to illustrate my words before letting an evil grin on my lips. "Resistance!"

"Oh, really?" Alaric questioned with a smile at my antics as I let out a small shout of joy when I got my phone out of the floor again and turned my attention back to the teacher. "So, you don't know what they plan."

''Hell no!''

''Or why would they want me here? '' He asked again in curiosity, making me shake my head in the negation again with a proud half-smile of my ignorance.'' Well, you're not really helpful at this time."

A big smile lit up my features in agreement, "I know." I admitted with pride, furrowing Alaric's brows in confusion, "I don't know anything about what's going on right now. Nothing at all. No supernatural drama. Nothing. Nada. ''

I readjusted nonchalantly in the seat as the realization fell on the teacher closely followed by his laugh as he gauged me with jest. I frowned at his expression knowing that he had something in mind now and that in any case it would not mean anything as much as it concerned me.

"You know I will not go in if you don't come with me. Well, Mila?"Ric said with a naughty expression to my stunned state.

I swallowed in disbelief before letting a mischievous smile regain the top as I pointed the driver's seat as an invitation."Well, make yourself comfortable because I certainly wouldn't go there. ''

"Mila." Ric sighed suddenly as he leaned against the metal frame before giving me a sharp look in impatience.

I quickly looked away and stared at the windshield with a scowl. I knew that if I looked at him then I would give in and that was the last thing I wanted. I was ready to resist hours and hours if it was not for the perseverance of Alaric. I could feel his eyes piercing holes in my side and more, the minutes passed and more, my lip was rising in an annoyed tick. I hated receiving attention and especially if it was concentrated like now.

Finally, I let out a sigh in the resilience and raised my hands in the air before making my way outside of Elena's SUV under Ric's hilarious and smug look.

"You're evil, Rick." I said, gritting my teeth over my shoulder in exasperation.

I rolled my eyes when Ric made a big knock before entering and ignored the person whose name I would not mention. He wore his usual pretentious smile, and the latter only grew as soon as he turned his attention to me.

I raised my eyes to the ceilling before passing in front of him, being careful to jostle him in my way.

Well, it would work if he was not a damn vampire with an abnormally strong build. I would clench my teeth to contain the pain I felt at impact while the sting rewarded us again with his false-friendly look.

"Thank you for coming, Ric. You want something?"He said nonchalantly as I took a step into the familiar living room just to meet the thoughtful look of Stefan and Elena." Coffee? Bourbon or bourbon in your coffee? "

It was definitive. I wanted to get out of here. It was enough that I meet their eyes to know that I did not want to be here and I could not even imagine what would follow.

Alaric ignored the false benevolence and cut straight to the point as he sat on one of the empty sofas."Elena told me you need a hand."

"Yeah.'' Stefan agreed as I took a seat next to Alaric on the arm of the sofa. I felt Elena's disapproving look at me at this action but just kept my attention on Stefan as he spoke again."We hoped you could help us to see more clearly about the Lockwood and their secret. ''

I was literally crashing from my place.

I remained open-mouthed before swallowing a big gulp of air and stammering my surprise.''Yo-you… what? ''

All eyes were on me in confusion except that of the vampire psychopath. The latter carefully gauged me in suspicion while I was still trying to recover from this information. I knew the Lockwood's had a secret and for a good reason. I had been with more Lockwood boys than I could ever count and was fully aware of the supernatural atmosphere around them.

Only if Mason and Tyler were recognized Lockwood, Felix was not, and if the vampires began to interfere in their affairs, it would do nothing to fix things.

I was so convinced.

"Lockwood's Secret, Mila."Support _-you know who's_ \- intentionally forcing me to look at him." Given the amount of time you've spent with them lately, you wouldn't have some info to share? ''

I broke a cold stare on the vampire while Elena stared at me in disbelief.'' Spend time ... wait ... what does he mean, Mila? ''

I kept my glare focused on the vampire who obviously seemed to take advantage of the situation for some reason. I gave a vague answer to the others in the room and glared at the vampire with all the hatred I could convey.

I could not let them know about Felix.

In fact, it was out of the question that they would involve the Lockwood's in all that damn disaster that was our life. Maybe they had secrets but until now, they had not been a problem and I preferred to handle the secret of my best friend myself to involve vampires and even less psychopaths. Wherever the vampire went, the dead followed and I would not let anything happen to Felix. Not if I had something to say.

"Leave them alone!" I ordered, leaping to my feet."They have nothing to do with you or you." I pointed at Elena and Stefan to make my point clear before watching out for the vampire with a dark glow.

The vampire narrowed his gaze on me and before I could blink, he was only a few inches from my face with a threatening look.''What do you know about them?''

Fortunately for me, Ric took a step forward to support me as he kept a close eye on the vampire. ''What makes you think she knows something? Or myself for this? ''

''No. Not you. But ..."Damon took his eyes off me as an arrogant smile slid down his lips as he took a step back to gauge Alaric condescendingly." Maybe your late wife who is a vampire today. "

"Oh, do you mean the psychopathic vampire who gave an invention to kill you to my uncle and unfortunately failed?" I sarcastically shook the vampire in question before Elena quickly drew her attention away from me.

"Isobel was doing research when you were both at Duke."

I took off my jacket knowing that now I just could not leave. Not since it involved the Lockwood. I sat down next to Alaric and crossed my arms over my chest with a scowl to hide my real concern. I could feel Stefan's green orbs scrutinizing me and I was focusing on Elena and Alaric's conversation to try to disregard his inquisition. If there was anyone who could recognize my habit of hiding my emotions with irritation it would be him.

"She has been studying Mystic Falls for years." Stefan supported to make a point.

Honestly, if I did not have this bad pre-feeling dabbling in the pit of my stomach, I would probably have already left but I would recognize this look among the Elder Salvatore and that did not inspire me any good. I knew him more than I would like to admit and god help me, the vampire was obsessive.

I hated to know so much about him as the way he loved his bourbon or even his sarcastic and cynical mimicry. In fact, I hated everything about this vampire and yet, I could not leave because I knew his new obsession was now on the Lockwood.

''Isobel had based her research on Mystic Falls on popular traditions and legends. At the time, I thought most were ... fictions." Alaric gave a hint of regret in his voice as he gave a discreet glance to the dark-haired vampire who, on the other hand, wore a smug smile.

"Like the incredible story of the blood suckers."He chanted still smugly as he crossed his hands in front of him.

I shook my head wearily, swinging my high tail from right to left, pinching the bridge of my nose before refocusing my attention on Elena's next question."She was studying vampires? Nothing else?''

''They already exist. That's not enough for you?"I snapped, glaring at the dark vampire before waving an apologetic grin when I saw Stefan's wounded look.

''Hm!"Exalted the vampire sarcastically, forcing me to stare coldly at him as he continued to grow on my nerves." I feel a little too much hostility here."

That was it.

I had enough of taking this bullshit.

I jumped up on my feet, thundering my steps toward the vampire and clenched my fists and jaw in a fit of anger. "You want to see hostility? I'll show you. "

In a fraction of a second, I found myself in a hold of arms while the dark-haired vampire gauged me now with a look devoid of humor while Elena and Alaric watched us with apprehension.

 _ **Damon POV**_

"Um, the pill still has not pass to what I see." Damon commented nonchalantly, even though Mila's eyes were reaching him more than he wanted to admit.

He knew that he had crossed the line with the young Gilbert by killing her twin but he was a vampire and was what he was doing. Human life meant nothing, let alone what she thought of him.

"Damon!" Stefan warned him with a dignified look at the perfect little brother and Damon looked up before catching the look Elena was throwing at him.

It was pure disgust and hatred, and he had to chew his words to prevent himself from aggravating his case with a worthy return of the vampire without emotion that he was.

Alaric took a step forward, cutting through the thick tension between the quartet and swallowing his saliva before drawing attention to him. "And the lycanthropes."

 _ **Mila POV**_

I instantly unlaced my vampire hate to gauge Rick in complete amazement.

Forgetting the arms of Stefan around me, I allowed myself a look at the vampire himself to recognize the similar surprise etched on his face.

"Wait! Serious! Werewolves? "Exclaims Elena in disbelief before being instantly countered by the execrable vampire.

''Whatever! It's impossible."Objected the vampire shaking his head in denial." That's a lot too much fantasy movies."

''Yes ! Because the vampires, that's quite realistic."I said sarcastically with an annoyed roll of eyes gathering a vampire grimace before pushing against Stefan's hold." You can let me go now. "

Stefan released me but stayed by my side all the same before turning his attention to his brother with skepticism. '' Are you sure? ''

"I'm on Earth since 160 and wheelbarrows. I've never met one ... If werewolves exist that I'm told where they are hiding."Assured Damon stupidly making me roll my eyes again.

"160 years old and yet, still stupid." I grumbled under my breath, taking a warning look from Stefan as Damon stared at me with narrowed eyes.

I really did not know if the werewolves were real but with all that had happened in the last few months, I would be ready to believe that Santa Claus existed if I was given the proof. The world was definitely bigger and weird than we thought, and since I turned out to be a kind of supernatural magnet, it would not even surprise me if the Lockwood's were werewolves. Especially with what I discovered about this family. Something was clearly going on with Tyler and Felix and I did not know what but something told me that this hypothesis could not be so far from the truth.

However, I was not sure I wanted to hear confirmation of this fact. It would make my relationship with the Lockwood even more difficult than it already was, especially with Felix.

"He made me think of ... a supernatural being." Stefan said intently as he met Alaric's gaze in memory of his battle with Mason making me swallow in nervousness.

"We hope that Isobel's research will help us understand all that." Elena suddenly intervened, forcing me to stare at her in disbelief and irritation.

She could not be serious.

Since when did we help Damon? Yes, Damon! Because I was sure the problem was Damon. The Lockwood's were his obsession not ours.

Damn it, I did not even understand why we were here to question them when we knew that it did not concern us. None of this concerned us.

"Can I know why we even want to understand all this?" I questioned irritably as I received several surprised looks before frowning in irritation when I spotted Stefan's gaze on Damon.''Seriously? For him? Because the local psychopath decides to make my friends his obsession? "

The whole quartet exhilarated at this, gauging me in the slight surprise, and the suspicion of the vampire only increased as he took a step forward with one of his famous bad smiles.''Your friends, huh? It's true that you were rather close to the surfer back to the Funeral."

''Mason!'' I shout, forgetting the other people in the room as I concentrated all my hate on the vampire who was currently frowning in boredom. "His name is Mason and yes, he's my friend."

"How touching." Damon commented, before turning his gaze back to Ric without even blinking for a second."Rick, a little idea where you could find the supernatural research of your now vampire ex-wife?"

Ric gauged each of us indecisively before telling Damon."Her things stayed at Duke." It was obvious that talking about Isobel was still a pain for the teacher and I did not really understand how he was doing to support the vampire in front of him. There was still a few weeks Elena had to stop him from killing him and now he was forcing him to help him even if it brought back some old wounds. "She still has her office to the extent that she is still missing.''

"Is there a way to access it?" Damon insisted, not even losing a breath that made me cringe while Alaric released a sigh of annoyance that only accentuated the murderous vampire's eye. ''Ric. We need to know what we are dealing with. If this wolf man story is true. I read enough books to know it's not good at all."

The feeling of anxiety as I saw the vampire's proximity to Alaric resurfaced in the pit of my stomach.

"Relax, Little Red Riding Hood!" I let out, my tone dripping with sarcasm as a bitter smile adorned my lips."Never think you would be such a melodramatic wet bitch."

At that, Damon instantly narrowed his eyes annoyed at me and in a blur ended up in my face."You don't seem to understand well. Your boyfriend Mason Lockwood is the big bad wolf straight out of the tales of Perrault. As for this thug Tyler, he begins to show fangs. Clearly, the Little Red Riding Hood in other words me, will be crunched before the end of the month.''

* * *

This time Elena had completely lost her mind.

I could not even come to realize that she had agreed to that, and even less that she had forced me to bend to the idea too. I was eyeing my backpack stored on my bed with my arms crossed over my chest. My frowning expression had not left my face for a good ten minutes and I became more and more aware of my annoyance. It was out of the question that I was going with them.

With him.

Besides, my presence here was certainly more required than in an old university library. I had no research to do on my ancestors like Elena and more, I did not want to know more about the nature of my friends. If I accompanied them, I should be helpless to discover their secret and I could do nothing to prevent it.

With one last dirty look at my travel bag, I turned back and stomped straight into Elena's room just to wince at the sight of my older sister and Stefan in action.

I cleared my throat, wearing a look of disgust when they turned to me with clumsy happy smiles and crossed my arms over my boredom again."I will not go."

"Mila." Elena sighs for probably the tenth time today. "You know I can't go without you."

''Hm! Hm! "I was humming in the negation." Sorry. But not enough. I don't really know why but the idea of a trip with his demonic vampire brother doesn't make me exalted. "

Stefan gave a comprehensive look at Elena before taking a cautious step towards me as if trying to coax a small injured animal making me roll my eyes in irritation.

I really hated when he did that. I knew he would give me a valid argument and I could not do anything to refute it.

''Please, Mila. You know it's not easy for Elena."I narrowed my gaze on the vampire to that and Stefan instantly backed up on his words."Just like you. But I don't really like the idea and you're the one I trust most to handle the situation. "

I remained totally stoic in front of the two in the room and tried hard not to succumb to the vampire's pleadings.

"Sorry but it's always no." I decreed confidently before turning around.

I was about to step out of Elena's door and win this argument when her voice was heard.

''You could visit the university?'' I was instantly stopping in surprise before turning back slowly with an arching eyebrow in questioning. "I know what I saw this morning and obviously, you're already thinking about leaving for college. You might as well kill two birds with one stone."

To that, Stefan gave me a mixed look between surprise and betrayal. Probably because I did not tell him anything. I knew it only showed how far we had been lately and I could not ignore that sense of urgency to run away. Dealing with that hurt look was the last thing I wanted to do now.

However, I forced myself to hold my ground ignoring the vampire's gaze. '' Duke is not one of my application choices.'' I countered by losing my determination a little bit more as I felt the weight of the Stefan's look at me.

"Mila, please," Elena said in a last attempt to make me accept.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, releasing a deep melodramatic sigh and raised my hands in the air in surrender. "Fine," I yielded before quickly raising a finger at Elena with a cold stare to keep her from hugging me."You'll owe me. Big time!" "I shifted my attention to the vampire and narrowed my eyes, accuser."Both of you."

I went back to my room to pick up my travel bag and cursed myself for bending so easily when suddenly my phone rang. I frowned in confusion before looking for my cell in the pocket of my jacket and widened wildly my eyes at the sight of the ID of my correspondent. I quickly unlocked my mail and eagerly read Tyler's message with a sense of unease.  
 _ **  
Tyler: We need to talk! It's important!**_

Suddenly, the sound of opening a door from below broke my trance and I jumped before quickly lock my screen and pocket it in my pocket in a fit of panic before catching my new bag.

I made my way to the entrance and jumped nervously the last step before stopping at the heights of Jenna, Stefan and Elena who turned to me at the same time.

"I still do not understand why Mila has to come with you." Jenna said, still confused as to my involvement in all of this.  
Honestly, with the stupid excuse they gave, I couldn't blame her.

These morons. Well Damon had decided to use my many days of absence as an excuse and so, that I should go with them to catch some imaginary credits. The worst excuse ever but coming from the vampire was not big news.

I was about to agree to Jenna's words, but Elena grabbed my arm before I could open my mouth and pulled me along with her to join a smiling Damon leaning against the door of the SUV.

Elena stopped right in front of the vampire sending him a murderous glare before turning to Stefan as soon as he spoke."If you need something ..."

''Oh ! Don't worry! I'm going to take care of them very well. "Damon snapped at him with a smirk, at which I just rolled my eyes and quickly pulled me out of Elena's hold before throwing the door open and throwing my bag inside and settle in my turn.

After Tyler's message, I really did not have the patience to handle another boring quarrel. I just wanted to be done with this trip and talk with him. He seemed really worried in his message and the purpose of this trip did nothing to soothe my nerves.

For all I knew it could be related and I had to leave for a damn part of research while I could learn more by staying here.  
I decided to send a message to Tyler hoping for answers and cast a discreet glance at the trio just to see Elena provoke Damon by giving a passionate kiss to Stefan.

I pinched the bridge of my nose again in the stupidity of the situation and leaned my head on the headrest of the seat and closed my eyes wearily.

This story was never going to end.

I could not believe they had been following the same pattern for a hundred and fifty years. It was not surprising that Katherine managed to play the brothers so easily. Regardless of all they could say, they would forever be under Pierce's spell.

A headache began to be felt and I gritted my teeth slightly in pain before looking up at the sudden hand in my face to meet the sympathetic eyes of Alaric.

"Aspirin?"

I looked back at his outstretched hand and noticed that he was holding a small box of medicine between his fingers making me nod my head fervently.

I pulled a bottle of water from my bag and uncapped the little white pill from its base before throwing it in my mouth. I swallowed a sip of water to swallow it before jumping slightly to the agreement of a weak knock on the glass.  
I focused on the source of the noise and raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Stefan's sight. He beckoned me to lower my window and I executed myself ignoring the impatient look of Damon and confused of Elena.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked blankly, and I did not need to think about what he was talking about.

"It's not really the best moment for that, Stefan." I said, feeling my headache grow louder than I thought I had to have this conversation with the vampire.

To be honest, I did not really know how to explain my choice.

The truth was that I chose all these sites because I wanted to take as much distance as possible from him and his brother maniac.

He was my closest friend but lately a lot of things had changed and I was not sure that this friendship was as healthy as I originally thought. I should not constantly fear that he could go on an episode of frenzy and end up chewing my artery.

If the last few months had done anything for me, it was to make me more aware of our vulnerability to vampires. Our lives were so short in front of them and they could easily stop it without a second thought.

In simple answer, Stefan gave me a sharp look, not obviously buying my opposition.

''Fine. Okay."I gave in, slamming my hand on my thigh with a sigh. ''We'll talk when I get back.''

At that, Stefan nodded in agreement and stepped back before watching us slip into the corner of the street. As soon as he disappeared, I released a tired sigh and looked anxiously on the screen of my phone.

The first hours of road had been relatively quiet if we did not count the nagging attempts of the vampire to try to make us talk my sister and me.

Well, it seemed like I was better prepared for his attempts. After only ten minutes, I took out my iPod and drowned his boring voice with music. I still remembered the look of betrayal that Elena had sent in my direction pulling me a smirk unlike the vampire who had raised a scowl mixed with a certain admiration.

I was looking at my phone screen again for what seemed to be the tenth time since we had hit the road and I could not help keeping that feeling of anxiety from growing in the hollow of my chest. Tyler still had not answered me and I had not stopped wondering what could have put him in such a state of emergency.

He seemed more emphasized and with what had happened lately I could not really blame him. Not to mention the purpose of our trip on the improvised road.

No matter what we were going to discover, it would not end well for the Lockwood's. I was seriously beginning to think that my life would never be normal again.

A painful tug pulled me out of my thoughts and I turned sharply back to my older sister with an annoyed shine.'' What ... '' I stopped dead in my tracks when I noticed her gaze darted towards the vampire currently in the passenger seat and I removed one of my earphones with a questioning look.''What?''

Elena just squinted in irritation before giving another brief forward motion making me frown and crumple my nose in misunderstanding. I quickly resumed a neutral air when the vampire turned in our direction with an eyebrow arched in mistrust.

"How is it going behind?" He asked in a falsely innocent voice to which I just rolled my eyes and returned to my observation of the landscape before smiling at the warning of Alaric.''Your little number of the girl who pretends to hate me becomes frankly ridiculous in the long run. ''

I frowned slightly in annoyance at Damon's insulting before deepening my frown when I realized he had spoken in the singular and not the plural.

This arrogant bastard had the audacity to wear a small smile that only increased the boiling in my veins. I wanted nothing more than to brandish a stake here and there and plant it in his perfect face of little pretentious sucker.

"Ah!" Alaric sighed from behind the wheel. "I'm not sure they're pretending after what you did to their brother."

Damon immediately took a distressed look before raising an eyebrow paired with a witty smile and I would tighten my fists in anticipation.''I think a slight correction is needed. He has come back to life. "

"Oh yes!" I exclaimed in exasperation, drawing most of the attention to me. "And that's supposed to make it excusable?" I narrowed my eyes to the vampire who had now bothered to look slightly guilty. '' Admit it, you've never seen the ring!''

''Why are you so sure that I didn't know?'' He replied boldly, simply lifting my hands to the ceiling in surrender before crossing my arms over my chest, looking away from him.

He was simply impossible. Every word that came out of his mouth only added to my irritation. I was more than willing to drop the subject and not hear the vampire's irritating voice for the rest of the way, but it looks like Elena was on a different note as she bothered to challenge him again on his lie.

''You knew it?''

"Well, yes." His lie was barely believable since his voice rose an octave deep, not to mention, his nonchalant little shrug.

I jabbed my jaw as I quickly turned my look for my phone screen with an annoyed frown. I hated to know so much about the vampire. I felt my headache silently making its way to the surface and wincing slightly to the pain before feeling a sense of anxiety at the sight of my phone. The lack of response from Lockwood only increased my anxiety and I could not stop questioning myself about the source of his distress.

If only I had not left.

I was so engrossed in my anxious observation of my screen that I had completely dropped the thread of the conversation until the suspicious voice of Elena pulled me out of my stupor again.

''What is the story with your phone? Are you waiting for a call or something?''

I jerked my head around looking nervously around me like a deer caught in the headlights of a car and briefly met the suspicious look of the vampire before quickly resuming a controlled expression to try to hide my lie. I opened my mouth to give her a witty answer when just then, my ringtone rang. I literally forgot my surroundings and rushed through my phone under the attentive and suspicious eyes of the other three.

 _ **Tyler: What are you doing Mila? I really need to talk to you! This is not the moment to bail out on me. Join me quickly in the old ruins of my family.**_

I felt my heart racing in panic as I read his message and was more than sorry to be here when he needed me. I did not know what was in these ruins but it only made me nervous.

I detached my attention from my screen and realized nervously that the attention had narrowed on my form. Even Alaric looked suspiciously through his rearview mirror. I felt Elena's eyes piercing holes in my side forcing me to stare at her with a faint, bored glare.

I locked my cell and put it in my jacket pocket before putting my earphone back in my ear trying to ignore the looks, they were giving me. I knew they were watching me closely, but I kept my eyes on the road.

Finally, the ordeal of a road trip came to an end and I could not wait to get away from my traveling companions. I quickly unbuckled my belt and replaced my audio equipment before bursting out of the SUV. Alaric also came down from the SUV giving me a meaningful look for understanding while I was doing a show of stretching myself before grabbing my bag in the back and slinging the strap over my shoulder to follow him. I ignored the other two, starting to walk in our wake and trying to ignore the feeling of Damon's eyes piercing holes in my back.

''Isobel was officially employed by the Department of Anthropology. Paranormal phenomena are, for the most part, deeply rooted in ... popular traditions ... "Alaric explained as he walked inside the residence while looking around him until he spotted a brunette girl in the eyes of bright green, probably about twenty years old. ''Oh, Excuse me. Hello, Alaric Saltzman."

I rolled my eyes as the young woman ogling Ric and crossed my arms over my chest before checking my jaw at the intrusion of the execrable vampire into my private space.

''Why so much hate? ''

I pretended not to have heard and refocused my attention on the brunette as Rick continued to show up.''I phoned you. ''

''Ah yes ! Of course."She acknowledges with a pleasant smile before introducing herself.''My name is Vanessa Monroe. I'm a master student of comparative folk traditions."I watched her carefully as she seemed to stop at Damon and Elena with a brief expression of disbelief and I could not help but feel a bad feeling about this girl. "Give me a second to catch the keys!"

Ric also seemed to have noticed her downtime on my sister and the vampire as he felt obliged to defend our presence.''Oh, excuse me, I came with my friends Elena, Mila and Damon. I hope you don't mind too much. "

At the agreement of a third name the girl turned to me and if it was still possible, her eyes widened more in recognition. I tried to avoid her eyes by shifting my weight from one leg to another and swallowed the bile that had formed in the hollow of my throat.

Vanessa quickly took off her eyes before starting to survey her desk distractedly in what seemed to be an act of nervousness and I could not stop thinking that something was wrong with her. She had looked at me like she knew me and now, it seems she is agitated as she wanted to be anywhere but here.

''You're welcome. Isobel's office is right next door."She walked over to a desk, telling us after her, and I unconsciously approached Alaric in discomfort as she continued to babble nervously. '' Isobel is one of them of my first three teachers. I am in 3rd cycle today. She was ... brilliant and it's thanks to her if I turned to popular traditions.'' She took the keys out of one of the drawers in the office before stopping, giving a curiously clumsy look at Ric. ''Uh! I must ask you a delicate question. There anything new? "

At that, I took a disdainful look at Damon knowingly that he just rolled his eyes as it was nothing and I felt again this strong desire to hit him violently. I had never felt so much hatred for someone. The vampire had always had the gift of bringing out the worst in me.

''No. Nothing, unfortunately. "

I gave an attentive look at Alaric as we followed without a word after the girl as she led us to a closed door. She opened the door showing us the way and I felt my heart speed up considerably as I realized that the room was completely thrown into darkness.

I was so uncomfortable in this atmosphere that I jumped as soon as Vanessa became known again. ''I'm going to turn on the light. Feel free to rummage!''

As soon as the words had left these lips, a bright light popped up causing us to close our eyes to adjust to the new brightness and I focused on her again as she spoke again.

''It's fascinating. Isn't it ?''

I was briefly captivated by Alaric's surprise look, unlike Elena and Damon, who had already started poking through Isobel's search when a new alarm sounded again in my mind. I immediately went looking for the other girl just to find that she had disappeared.

"Where did she go?" I asked panicked alerting others as I was about to retrace my steps just to find myself nose-to-nose with the point of a crossbow.

I did not even have time to release a mad breath as the girl released the trigger and soon, I was pushed back before looking up just to see that Damon had interposed between the arrow and me and was now moaning in pain while Alaric handle Katniss. I could still feel my heart pounding against my chest in a fast pace and I had to swallow the bile that had formed in the hollow of my throat to provide a new sound.

My eyes caught those of Damon, who had a mixed expression of pain and something much more intense. He lingered over me like he was trying to get some message out and I had a little idea what it could be just that did not change anything. No matter what he could do to change things, at the end of the day he was still a vampire and I could not forget what he had done to Jeremy. Not now. Never, never.

I passed my tongue over my dry lips and broke our mute exchange with a sharp tone."It doesn't change anything."

I did not know Elena's look of understanding and pressed me to the doors."I need a break."

* * *

 _ **Elena POV  
**_

Elena watched Mila's withdrawal with a pained look in her understanding before turning back to Damon who still seemed in pain. She knew what Mila felt.

He had killed Jeremy and had yielded to his bad side again. It was always like that with him. It was impossible to trust him.

Only she would never have thought that he would do something like this. Not only because of her but for Mila. She could not deny the connection that these two had or rather had in the past.

She had never seen Mila hold such a strong grudge for anyone, but she had to admit that her younger sister had changed in recent months. She was much stronger and more rational than she probably would ever be. Mila had a way of visualizing things that went beyond logic. If Elena was honest with herself, she would admit that she secretly envied her sister to handle the supernatural as she did. No matter what was on their way, she remained stony and tried to hold on despite the pitfalls.

It was certain!

Mila was no longer the teenager who shut herself up in silence to escape the pain that overwhelmed her.

Now she was strong and she did not hesitate to show it.

Elena jabbed the arrow into the vampire's shoulder with a grimace and tried to find the right angle to remove it. If she had been told a few months ago that she would be in this situation she would have laughed but now she was expecting everything.

"Get it out!" Damon growled impatiently with a sighing whistle. ''It's out of my reach, Elena. Get rid of this thing! Now! I suffer."

Honestly, she did not understand why she was helping him. He was just so execrable sometimes.

Mila had left and left him without a look. Why she couldn't do it?

Finally, she grabbed the arrow and yanked it away, reaping another dramatic vampire moan before moving away into indifference.

Damon sighed and his next nonchalant words alerted Elena to panic.''The bitch is dead.''

She turned at once in the challenge and folded her arms over her chest, throwing a cold stare on the vampire. ''No, you don't.''

"Wait and see." The vampire countered, trying to get around her, but she stayed on her position.

It was her turn to be strong. She was tired of taking the vampire's actions without ever retaliating.

"Touch one of her hair and I swear I never speak to you again."

At that, Damon turned around, staring at her coldly. ''What makes you believe that your poor threats carry weight? The arrow I just took in the back instead of Mila?"He approached with an intimidating air, but she knew better.

Indeed, his act was not as selfless as he thought. He could deny it as much as he wanted, but he shared something with his sister and that was enough to make him take an arrow in her place.

''You overestimate her, she's far from having so much influence over me. ''

''I couldn't agree more. '' Mila's cold, familiar voice challenged them and Elena turned her attention to the vampire as he seemed to gauge Mila with raised eyebrows in confusion before clenching fists at those hard words. ''After all, no one can have any influence on a psychopathic who can kill people on a simple whim.''

* * *

 _ **POV Mila**_

I really needed air.

This trip on the road was a damn fucking idea.

I knew I was going to regret it and yet I gave in. How stupid I was.

I had passed the fury with Alaric on my way and had totally ignored the teacher's calls as I continued my quick exit towards the car. Now I was sitting on the earthy floor of the university and slammed my head against the Alaric SUV for what seemed to me the millionth time. I released a trembling breath and turned my attention to my phone in my hands.

No calls.

No texts. I had no news of Felix or Tyler. I wanted more than anything to calling him but the truth was that I was scared. I was completely panicked to discover that they too were supernatural beings.

I had enough and just wanted to resume a normal life. Living with vampires were already completely crazy but dreams and lycanthropes now? It was beyond anything I could take. With all the events of the day, I could not really think back to my strange dream, but I could certainly say that it was not a simple dream.

How many people could tell they heard laughter in a seemingly familiar meadow. Everything in this dream had seemed real as a memory and I could not ignore the feeling of nostalgia I was feeling right now just thinking about it.

Without speaking of the man. He knew my name and his touch ...

I released a tired moan before I hit my skull against the sheet metal of the SUV again and Felix's image popped up again from my mind. Indeed, if I had accepted this trip it was certainly not to work in the game of the vampire but definitely to obtain information and maybe help Felix to cross all this without him having to undergo what he had arrived at Caroline.

Maybe having more knowledge on the subject will allow me to make a difference.

Another sigh passed my lips and I decided to call Caroline to get some sort of report on her introduction to vampire life. I did not really know why but I felt somehow responsible for the pretty blonde.

The first ring sounded and soon Caroline's bored voice became known through the device.''Thank God, Mila! It's you.''

"Uh ... hello to you too, Caroline. I see that - _Mr. Stefan Salvatore's 101 classes on how to be a good vampire_ \- are exciting. "I stated with a small, uncertain frown, though a faint, amused smile adorned my features.

"You think that's funny?" Caroline replied, obviously much more sensitive now before continuing with a non-amused sharp tone.'Try to catch a little cute rabbit and then we'll see if you'll laugh so much. ''

Honestly, I could not help my next burst of laughter.

It was just way too tempting. Caroline's simple thought chasing Pan pan was hilarious.

I could hear Stefan's other familiar bursts of laughter through the phone and instantly felt a surge of nostalgia for my friend. It had been weeks since I had heard him laugh like that and I could not stop telling myself that it was all my fault. I was the one who had taken the distance. Not him.

With that thought, my smile and laughter stopped and I rested my head against the metal again before asking Caroline to pass me my vampire friend.

I heard the static rustle and crackle before Stefan's soft voice reached my ear."Hey Mila!"

"Hey!" I hissed weakly through the receiver who lost all energy to pretend.

My change of mood did not go unnoticed by the vampire and soon he asked me about the course of our journey in anxiety.

"First, no, I have not staked him yet. Then it's Damon, of course he's drives me nuts and finally, I've almost been pierced by an arrow if it's not for him so I guess I should be grateful, isn't it? ''

"Mila ... ''sighed the vampire in defeat. ''You know it was Katherine ... she played with him ...''

"I know, Stefan. I know."I cut him quickly before releasing a contrite sigh as I pinched the bridge of my nose at the sensation of a future headache.''Only he killed Jeremy and he would have killed Caroline if Elena didn't intervene. ''

There was silence at the other end of the conversation and I knew that Stefan was trying to find something to complain about even though he knew I was right.

It was simply in his nature. He could not help but try to see the best in everyone and even if it was a quality, I admired in him, it could sometimes annoy me when it came to Damon.

''Why didn't you tell me about your application?'' Suddenly Stefan's voice came up, breaking in my thoughts and I felt my breath catch in my throat in nervousness.

I knew he would not give up on the subject so easily but I was definitely not ready to continue this conversation. I jumped abruptly to my feet with a grimace and quickly finished the conversation without even giving him a chance to work me more.

After that, I looked at my phone with a miserable expression as I realized that I had just created a new distance between Stefan and me. It seems that getting back to Stefan as it was before was much more difficult than I thought. I knew that the last few weeks had changed many things in my life but I never imagined that it would create so much mess.

With a new sigh, I made my entrance inside the premises and soon heard Elena's heated voice making me pinch the bridge of my nose even before entering the library.

''What makes you believe that your poor threats carry weight? The arrow that I just took in the back instead of Mila. "An annoyed frown came to tease my face to the agreement of my name and I accelerated the pace just to enter the room to hear the end bruising vampire, exasperating me again. ''You overestimate her, she is far from having so much influence over me.''

The words flew from my mouth without me even aware of it and Damon and Elena immediately turned in my direction with expressions shared between surprise and confusion. ''I couldn't agree more. ''

I crossed my arms over my chest staring at the vampire and said my next words with all the coolness I could muster in my tone. ''After all, no one can have any influence on a psychopathic who can kill people on a simple whim.''

With that, I retraced my steps and ignored the sounds of footsteps behind me as I entered the room where was Alaric and the little bitch who seemed rather scared.

Honestly, she had something.

Even though I was against killing her, that did not mean I did not want to take revenge. The bitch had tried to shoot me with an arrow and I was not even the one with the demonic double.

"First of all, my name is Mila Gilbert and her-" I pointed my sister with my chin over my shoulder before turning my attention back to the girl.''Is Elena. Well, she's more like my foster sister but ... the details. So, to get back to the facts, she's kind of a weird descendant of a bad bitch. As for the one you shot, it's Damon Salvatore."

''In your place, I'll be super nice to me. ''Warned Damon with a threatening accent to his tone and I rolled my eyes taking a step forward to get away from him with boredom.

''Just ignore him. That's what I usually do."I warned her nonchalantly before resuming a serious expression with no regard for the girl visibly shocked. ''Now, as much as I don't particularly appreciate you. We need your help to access Isobel's research on Mystic Falls."

I watched Vanessa closely as she brought back a box of research when I felt a presence by my side. I recognized the familiar smell of Ric's cologne but still focused on the brunette with suspicion.

''You're okay?'' He asked in his usually thoughtful tone and I nonchalantly shrugged my shoulders before answering in mockery.

"Oh, you know pretty much about someone you wanted to shoot a few minutes ago."

"Mila, I don't think it's a source of laughter. She said she'd recognized you from Isobel's research." Reign Alaric, serious forcing me to turn to him with a bewildered and slightly panicked look.

"What do you mean by: recognized of Isobel's research?'' I wondered quickly feeling my heart quicken in anxiety and I followed Alaric's gaze to meet Vanessa's gaze as she put the cardboard on a round wooden study table.

"This carton contains documents that trace Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April 1864." She announced, dusting herself off and Elena was quick to dig through the search while I was still trying to sort out with what I had just heard.

My attention focused on Vanessa again and that was all I could do before heading straight for her in search of an answer. I hardly listened to Elena's question as I stopped by her side, keeping my eyes on the brunette. I was about to ask her for answers as to what Alaric had just taught me, but I just ended up staying completely frozen like a picket.

I did not really know why but an anxious ball formed in my throat and I was now unable to form even a single word. For I don't know what reason, my mind drifted back to my dream this morning and I was totally unable to release a sound. She recognized Elena and Damon because they were supernatural beings but I was not, and I could not help but think that her answers to my questions would only make things more difficult. So, without even thinking, I turned around for Damon and stood in front of him without even glancing at him and began searching through the documents he was passing through. I felt his awkward look on me but persisted in ignoring him until the stupid and not so discreet conversation of my sister and Vanessa came to my ears.

"Does it really work vervain?" Vanessa asked in what I supposed to be a whisper even though I could hear them perfectly from where I was.

And if I could, I had no doubt that the vampire could too.

My thoughts were quick to be confirmed as Elena nodded in agreement just to be falsely contradicted by the vampire in a mocking tone.''No. Not at all.''

Honestly, after that I thought they would be a lot smarter to stop talking stupidly in a low voice but Vanessa kept shaking my head bored.

''He hears everything we say? ''

''No. That would be too scary."The vampire mocked again, mockingly imitating a murmur reminding me how immature he could be.

"Hm!" Vanessa sighed before continuing to another question, muttering, making me want to hit me in the face with all the stupidity of this conversation. "And he can read people's thoughts too?"

At that, I looked up and met Damon's mischievous gaze telling me that nothing good was going to follow and I instantly hit my forehead at his next words. ''You know if you want to see me naked, just ask. ''

I let out a deep sigh, still asking what I was doing here and could not help thinking how much Stefan was missing. Especially in this kind of situation. Stefan always had the gift of making things better, and I missed that attraction now.

"Why the pout, little Gilbert? Jealous, maybe?'' Threatened the vampire's naughty voice through my thoughts and I stopped right in the middle of my search to throw him a clearly unamused shine.

"Just forget me, will you?" I lashed before turning around and entering the second room containing all of Isobel's other research.

The following step agreement made me pinch the bridge of my nose before turning back in exasperation and meeting the vampire's chest harshly. I held my forehead slightly in pain and stepped back quickly before casting a new glare on the vampire who seemed rather amused by my current state.

''What don't you understand in let me in peace? "I was crossing my arms on my chest now with exasperation.

"Hm ..." The vampire pretended to think, bringing his hand to his chin, which only accentuated my irritation to his attention. ''Sorry but I can't do it. ''

I brought my hand to my forehead wearily and let out a deep, frustrated sigh before turning back, keeping my gaze locked on the cluttered shelves as I squeezed my fists in impatience.

"Mila." I heard the soft voice devoid of all the humor of the vampire before I jumped slightly when I felt his hand rest on my shoulder.

At that moment, I just wanted to tear my hair. The vampire was a real source of confusion and exasperation for me. In fact, from the moment I yielded to Stefan and Elena's request for this trip I was screwed up. I did not want to feel that way. In fact, I hated practically all my reactions when I was in the presence of the vampire. He brought out things in me that I should not feel and hated that. Like now for example, I was so indecisive and lost. I knew what he had done to Jeremy and I wanted more than anything to hold it to him, but he still managed to crawl under my skin. He was like a throbbing headache. He always came back, numbing our mind until we were unable to think clearly.

I turned to coldly gauge the vampire before becoming much more captivated by one of the books on one of the dusty shelves behind the vampire.

The latter noticed my distraction and questioned me about it but I was content to get around him without a word and easily grabbed the huge book before watching it from every angle. I blew dust on the cover page and could easily feel the presence of the vampire at my side.

The clipping was very old and torn in some places but it was not that which interrupted me. There were words written on the back and I slightly narrowed my eyes to decrypt them aloud. ''Biblise Petrova."I sensed the vampire's shift of weight to the agreement of this words and I instantly turned to him with an inquisitive look.''Do you know what that means? ''

''Katherine was originally from Europe. Petrova is her real name.'' He explained, slightly widening my eyes in surprise.''Katerina Petrova to be exact. ''

"I thought you didn't know anything about her? That she was secretive and evil?"I asked, rolling my eyes sarcastically and the vampire slightly narrowed his eyes at me.

''At the time, I saw that her name was engraved on an old family object. Men search too, you know... "

At that, I rolled my eyes before turning my attention curiously back to the book. It was about Katherine and it was probably the first thing that could lead us to her, but it was also Elena's heritage whether she wanted it or not and I did not really know what I had to do with this book.

A very big part of me wanted to keep it to be able to dissect it under all the seams but another much more rational part knew that it belonged to Elena to decide what she wanted to make of it.

I took my eyes off the book and suddenly glanced at the vampire in indecision. It might be a bad idea but a part of me still had a minimum of respect for him and I sincerely thought that I should entrust him.

After all, Elena was important to him and even if she said the opposite, I knew she had much less determination when it came to Damon.

It was certain to predict that she would easily forgive him unlike me.

On a whim, I handed the book to him, gathering one of his confused looks and rolled my eyes before clarifying my thoughts.

''Elena is not mad at you. She will eventually forgive you, it's only a matter of time. You just must do the right things to get back in her esteem. "I explained before shrugging cynically.''She is simple like that. ''

I gave him the book under his uncertain gaze before starting to walk back just to take a break from his next question. ''What about you? Will you forgive me?''

"You, like me, know that I'm not Elena." I replied over my shoulder without even looking at him before resuming my walk with a slight ball in my stomach.

I did not want to act so hard but I could not do anything about it. Whenever I looked at the vampire, Jeremy's dead body lying on the floor ended up resurfacing in my mind and pain with it.

I spotted Elena go through the books and stood beside her, ignoring Alaric's worried look on my back.''So ?''

"I peeled but found nothing new on Katherine." Elena answered when Damon chose this moment to enter our conversation.

''Zzz ... Ah! What a mess! "He declared falsely concerned with a smirk that made me stare, distressed. ''It's no good that we are no longer friends because if we were, I would tell you what I know. ''

I obviously knew what he was talking about given what we had found a few minutes ago and I was beginning to question my decision to give him the book. He was just a little nagging madman most of the time and he was known for not making the right choices.

Only part of me always seemed to recognize certain qualities in him and I ended up putting a bit of faith in him. Like rather.

I spotted Elena give him an annoyed shine and decided to get away from the duo on the point of arguing and found me next to Vanessa. I tried to ignore the bad feeling I felt under her not-so-insistent eyes when she opened her mouth. I was preparing mentally for everything that would follow with apprehension but soon, the familiar voice of Alaric cut in her attempt and we all turned our attention to the teacher.

''Hey! Look at this!"He handed Vanessa a book under my puzzled eyes as Elena and Damon got closer with interest.

"There is no trace of myth around werewolves in Mystic Falls. But we ... "Vanessa informed us as she went through the book before showing us some of the material she contained. ''We don't have archives that take up some little-known legends. Hold on! Everything is in this document.''

She handed them to Damon and I got closer to the vampire to look at the documents over his shoulder. Most of them were drawings and symbols of lycanthropes, but so little of this research only increased my anxiety for my friends.

Vanessa suddenly spoke as I tried to stay as calm as possible. ''Scandinavian lycanthropes with Aztec legends. "Maledictio sol and Luna. If we had to translate, it would basically give us the curse of the sun and the moon."

I took my eyes off the book for Vanessa and raised an inquiring eyebrow as Alaric asked if it was American.

"Aztec."Corrected the brunette before continuing with passion.''This is one of the origins of the legend of the werewolves known in Virginia. To sum up, 600 years ago, the Aztecs lived under the constant attacks of vampires and werewolves, who spread terror in the countryside. Breeding and hunting had become impossible. And then, one day, a shaman smote them with a vampire curse, the sun slaves and the werewolves, the servants of the moon. As a result, the vampires were doomed to roam the night and the werewolves to transform themselves on a full moon. Whenever the moon is full, whoever has the misfortune to be touched by the curse turns into a wolf. "

At that, I looked at the budding historian with anxiety and asked the first thing on my mind.''Do they have a way to master the transformation?''

I had watched enough movie about werewolves to know that this was not a painless process and I could not imagine Felix or even one of the Lockwood's having to go through such an ordeal.

''If they could choose to mutate or not. It wouldn't be a curse anymore. "Vanessa replied sarcastically and I felt the churn in my stomach when a bad smile crossed the vampire's face.

Only, it seems that it was not over as Vanessa turned to Elena with a solemn air. ''Werewolves attack men, but their instinct and centuries of rivalry have also programmed them to hunt their favorite prey: vampires. ''

At this, all eyes were formed on Damon while the latter jumped at the news before quickly approaching Vanessa slightly incredulous.

''Hey! Uh! ... If the werewolves chased the vampire, I think I'll know it.'' He said sarcastically.

''Unless there are too few specimens alive today.'' Vanessa refuted, forcing me to stare her in confusion. ''Centuries ago, vampires chased them almost to extinction. ''

I felt my heart speed up in this realization and could not help but think of Felix. Vampires, witches, all that was crazy but werewolves? It exceeded all reality.

"Why would they do that?" Elena asked naively as I looked at Vanessa in the hope that she would not formulate my thoughts, to no avail.

"To save their skin." Damon nodded to that, but through Vanessa's face, I knew there was more.''According to legend, a werewolf can kill a vampire with a single bite.''

Suddenly, my mind, ran instantly to Stefan and Caroline and I was looking for my phone under the perplexed eyes of others.

"Mila, what are you doing?'' Elena asked as I quickly dialed Stefan's number without even glancing at her.

I carried my device to my ear and waited in a state of panic for him to pick up his phone. I jumped slightly on my feet and started pacing up and down the room just to stop as soon as Stefan's voice entered my cell phone.

"We have just discovered something really important. You must listen to me very, very, carefully, okay?''

''What is happening? '' Was the first question Stefan asked me while Elena approached me with the agreement of his voice.

I gave him a brief summary of everything we had just heard before casting an undecided look on the others knowing that what I was going to reveal would only make my case worse.

"Stefan, you must seriously listen to me. I know it sounds crazy and I know we're not sure but I spent more time with the Lockwood's than any of you ... "I could see the eyes of others well, mainly Damon's, wrinkling over me in suspicion forcing me to break eye contact.''But you should really be paying attention to Mason. I saw what he can do. He's very strong.''

"Mila, why didn't you tell us anything? "Asked Stefan immediately while I avoided attention to me.

I swallowed the bile forming in the hollow of my throat and swallowed before continuing.''It's not really the point. Currently, there is even worse. ''

''What? ''

"If you believe the legend, their bite is deadly for vampires." I declared, feeling the adrenaline running through my veins at the agreement of my own words out loud.

The line suddenly became silent and I stared in panic and looked at my screen to reassure me that he was still there before calling frantically for the vampire in worry.

There was the static line and soon, Stefan's anxious voice resurfaced. ''Listen! Uh! ... I must hang up. We see each other when you come back. Okay?''

''What? No,Stefan ... "I heard the line cut off and looked at my screen in disbelief before looking up to catch the worried look of Elena and Alaric's questioner while the vampire was now wearing an annoyed expression. ''Something is wrong. We must go ho-"

I did not even finish my sentence that I was already in action to the door but a strong grip soon closed on my arm and I raised my eyes to see that it was none other than the scourge of my life.''Oh that, you can say it! ''

"What-let me go, Damon!" I broke in impatience, trying to pull my arm out of his reach which only accentuated his grip.

"Tell us what you know about the Lockwood's!" The vampire ordered, narrowing his bluish eyes on me as if to challenge me to avoid his question and I took my eyes off to return to Alaric and Elena hoping to get some help just to find that they seemed to be on the vampire's side.

With a burst of anger, I broke a shine again on the dark-haired vampire. "I already told you everything! I don't know more than you, it's clear! ''

It was a pure shameful lie but it was out of the question that I was going to put the Lockwood's and Felix in danger to satisfy any passing fad of the vampire. My answer only accentuated the vampire's nervousness as he tightened his grip considerably, making me cringe in the slight pain.

"You don't seem to understand!" He chuckled coldly. ''You heard just like us. If your precious boyfriends are werewolves, we're all dead. "

The next ones screaming out of my mouth were uncontrolled and certainly the effect of frustration and repressed anger.''Maybe it would be for the best! ''

I felt my breath catch in my throat as I watched the whole room freeze and contacted the vampire. The night blue faced the cerulean blue of his eyes and I felt that time had stopped for a moment.

Well it was before the vampire narrowed his cerulean orbs further on me before I slacked off like this, I burned him. "Good."

I stood frozen on the spot as I watched the vampire make his way back to the trio who was trying to look anywhere except me. I knew my words had passed my thought but I could not give the Lockwood's. I took a deep breath to stop the jolts that threatened to appear and made my way to others. I silently took one of the books on one of the round tables and sat on one of the leather seats ignoring my surroundings.

* * *

The sun had long ago given way to the night now and we were still as uninformed as before. Except for the book Alaric had found, we had not gotten anything new.

The atmosphere was always so cold and I did best to avoid the vampire.

With a new sigh I got up from my seat by closing the book I was reading and walked over to Elena just to look over her shoulder at a vintage picture of Katherine. The resemblance between her and my older sister was still striking, but I had to admit that certain characteristics showed their differences. The way they had to smile for example. If Elena was still smiling like a foolish girl, Katherine was smiling with an afterthought, as she was aware she was being watched.

"Vanessa?" Elena called me out of my observation for staring at her with intrigue. "Did you research the look-alikes?"

Alaric's surprise was evident on his face as he gave me a questioning look and I shrugged just as perplexed. It was the first time we had raised this possibility but I had to admit that it made sense.

I turned my attention to Vanessa with more attention. ''Well, well, uh ... This word doesn't evoke the same thing according to the cultures. But it usually refers to a double of oneself."I felt eyes on us but continued to listen to the explanation ignoring this feeling of discomfort in the hollow of my stomach. ''A living being of flesh and blood.''

"Did Isobel find anything that explains the bond that unites me to Katherine?" Elena asked eagerly for an answer.

I had to admit that I was just as eager to know the answer as Elena was. I wanted to know more about the vampire.

Obviously, she intended to stick around and if she could create so much carnage in such a short time, I did not even want to know what she could do in the long run.

Only Vanessa paused slightly with a contrite air before gently shaking her head in negation."That's all she has on her, unfortunately."

Alaric cleared his throat awkwardly as I stared at Vanessa wearily. I felt that the closer we got to Katherine, the more we recoiled.

''Listen! The only thing I can tell you is that most of the time, the doubles torment the people they look like. They torture them until they can destroy their lives. I gaped at the understanding of this information and pinched the bridge of my nose in distress.''There is better to get in a good mood.''

I sent a faint glare to Vanessa's attention for her failed attempt to shed light on the situation and rolled my eyes at Elena's next words."Yeah. Another piece of information we already had. "She gave a new look at the picture before turning her attention to Vanessa.''Me all I want to know is why we look so much alike. ''

A sigh suddenly appeared on my right and I gave a bored look at the vampire who was in front of one of the libraries.''That's disconcerting! ''

"You know something or you make your interesting," Elena cried irritably and I rolled my eyes, doubting where the source of the vampire's information came from.

It was obvious that he had briefly read the Petrova book and it seemed to contain the answers that Elena was only asking for. I had stupidly given this book to the psychopathic vampire. Sometimes I hated myself.

''Well, if ... This was the case. I will not put you in the secret."Sneered Damon making me want to hit me at his stupid game as he sauntered up to my older sister. '' Unless you change your attitude. ''

At that, Elena turned sharply with glare that could glaze anyone's bone. ''You're right. And the worst is that it comes out of the mouth of someone who wants to be my friend. But you know what, we don't manipulate his friends. We support them. "

I tried not to roll my eyes at her dismal repartee and went back through the documents before following her with my eyes as she left the room in a dramatic way making me look at Ric with an arching eyebrow in disbelief. My attention turned to the vampire again and I bit the inside of my cheek in apprehension before deciding to take the first step in his direction. I was still pissed at him but I had to make sure he was going to give Elena the book and the sooner the better.

"I'm impressed!" I said sarcastically captivating his attention as I continued with an ironic nod.''And me, who thought you couldn't be more of an arrogant asshole than you already are.''

I saw a smile grow on Vanessa's lips as Alaric tried to hide his hilarity with a cough. I made my way to the exit and closed my jacket against me before putting on my hood. I nervously checked my phone for what seemed like the hundredth time and sighed wearily before breaking my attention over my shoulder at the footstep agreement.

I spotted Alaric out of college accompanied by Vanessa and tried to read on the lips as they seemed in intense conversation.

Finally, after a few minutes, I chose to abandon the spying and made my way to the duo just to stop briefly at the sight of Damon and Elena in full conversation.

I spotted the book in the hands of the vampire and a faint smile lit up my features before I resumed my walk towards Alaric. The latter seemed to have finished his conversation with Vanessa and stopped at my height with an exhausted expression.

"I think we're ready to go."He said with a slight stump in his voice as he turned back to the college with a haunted look.

I stared at him empathically and bit the inside of my cheek indecisively before formulating my thoughts aloud. "I'm sorry you had to come back here." Alaric immediately turned to me at that with an arched eyebrow in the inquisition. "With Isobel and all that ... I mean ... you know."

"That's good, Mila." Ric stopped me, putting a hand on my shoulder with a grateful smile. ''I was wondering what it would be like to come back here. And, uh, well, I'm fine. I handle it well. It's good to know that ... it's a thing of the past. You know? There is a moment when we must move on. "

I nodded in agreement with a smile before mimicking a nauseated grimace in the hope of alleviating the situation. ''Ew! You talk about Aunt Jenna, don't you? "

A smile settled on his lips as he shook his head but soon, my attention was again drawn to Vanessa.

Alaric's words still resonated in my mind and I immediately picked up a serious expression as I looked back at Ric. He noticed my eyes on the brunette and turned to me in uncertainty.

''You want to go talk to her. '' Recognized more in a tone of fact than a question and I turned my attention to him in slight surprise before acquiescing weakly. '' We'll wait.'' I nodded and started to get around him but stopped when I felt his hand close on my grip."You can't always keep everything for yourself, Mila. I understand that Lockwood are your friends but it could be serious. "

I nodded again and headed back to Vanessa once he released me.

The expression on the brunette's face was solemn as she noticed me approaching her and I did not have time to get out a single sound she had already answered my silent question.

''You want to know how I recognized you? '' I sat in silence for a moment trying to digest her tone but ended up nodding silently. '' Look, to be honest, I don't really know how I'm doing. I just recognized you. I don't know why, nor how, but as soon as I saw you it was like I had seen someone I had read but I couldn't remember where or when I-I met you in my readings. It's even stranger than seeing Damon Salvatore himself."

A frown had settled on my forehead as she explained it and I turned to her intentionally ignoring her attempt to make a joke. ''So, what you're telling me is that you've read some research on me but you don't remember it? ''

The brunette nodded reluctantly and I swallowed the bile that formed in my throat in the realization. I cut short the conversation as I had more questions than answers and made my way back to the SUV. I climbed inside in a sort of second state and openly ignored the glances that Alaric, Damon and Elena were throwing at me as I frantically searched for my iPod in my bag. I had to empty my head.

She had read about me. Isobel had done some research on me and now Vanessa could not remember.

Only the image of my appearance was in her mind unlike the content of the research.

I did not want to recognize it, but the only possible explanation was that a vampire had erased her memory.

Only here is the catch.

Why would a vampire take the trouble to erase all traces of Isobel's research concerning me?

I felt my heart and my lungs tighten as I thought about it and brought my legs closer to my chest as my head fell against the window. I closed my eyes trying to clear my mind of all thought and ended up let fatigue catch me.

* * *

I felt a slight pressure enveloping me and I unconsciously turned closer to the heat source before opening my eyes briefly in my sleepy state to see a familiar chiseled chin.

"Damon?" I murmured hoarsely, feeling even more tired than before.

 _ **Damon POV**_

The vampire focused his attention on the little brunette in his arms and could not help but bring her frail body against his chest.

After the conversation with Elena, he felt miserable. He had been played again and all he wanted was to talk to Mila. Even if it meant hearing her hard, cold tone, that was enough for him. He really thought so when he told her he'd better go see her the other night. As strange as it was, this kid had the gift of having more words than anyone else for him.

So he had decided to make the right choices for a moment and had gone to the car hoping to converse with her but what he had found was different. Mila was still asleep against the back seat and seemed to be sporting a small frown on her forehead.

He had noticed how she seemed emphasized but as usual, the brunette kept everything for her. She used her anger and sarcasm to hide the real Mila. It had been a long time since he could read her even though she could still be a mystery to him sometimes.

Stefan was not the only one who knew her. No matter what she thought. He knew her too.

With that thought, he had put one arm under her lap while the other rested on her back and carried her all the way through the Gilbert House.

He slowly opened the door of her bedroom and made his way to her bed before delicately putting her down and taking off her sneakers and laying them at the foot of her bed. She closed herself in a ball and his gaze lingered on her porcelain face. He did not like not being able to see her eyes. They were the only way to know Little Gilbert's thoughts and not seeing them was strangely difficult for him.

She had a way of looking at him and even though most of the time she stared at him with an exasperated look, he could sometimes see a brief glimmer of hope.

The hope she confided in him.

* * *

 _ **Hey, everyone,**_

 _ **Honestly thanks again for all your reviews and votes. Sincerely, you make me really happy.**_

 _ **Then, according to the votes Stefan is in the lead with Damon behind and Klaus and Kol as a result. To really know I advise you to follow the next chapter. I've already finished the entire season 2 and I can tell you that it's going to be a season of twists for Mila. She will immensely grow and mature during this time. She will also experience new emotions and her relationship with Stefan will be put to the test. You can imagine ...**_

 _ **Anyway, keep voting to tell me which pairing you like the most.**_

 _ **New vote: What do you think about Felix? And what would you like to see happen to him?**_


	26. Chapter 26 : No scrub

**Chapter twenty-six : No scrub**

'' Nothing,'' Another page. '' Nothing,'' And yet another page. '' Nothing.'' I felt my irritation reaching its breaking point and I was again turning a page of this damn book before releasing the pressure in an exasperated groan. '' Still nothing!''

I threw the open book on the floor, frustrated, and ran my dusty hand over my forehead before releasing a tired sigh. I leaned back against the row of shelves behind me and looked up at the ceiling, shaking my head from side to side.

Four hours. Four hours of unnecessary research. It had been four hours since I was in this damn library and I still had not found anything. My eyes fell on the pile of books lying beside me, making me want to hit the back of my head violently against the shelf.

I woke up before everyone to go to the local library when it opened and I was still lost. I suspected that I would find nothing on me. After all, it looks like a vampire is cleaning up when it concerns me but I could not stop thinking about what I had learned from Duke. Something was wrong with me and I could not talk to anyone about it.

The situation with Katherine was already ample enough for me to add the mystery about myself. I had not talked to Stefan again either. In fact, I had not had any contact with anyone for days. When I was not skimming all the books on the supernatural of the local library, I locked myself in my room to surf the Internet for days, looking for anything that could bring me new information.

To be honest, until today, I had completely lost trace of the time. I did not know the date or what was going on in Mystic Falls.

I heard a footprint on my left and immediately turn my head in the direction of the sound with suspicion just to let go a breath to the familiar sight of the old librarian. She was a true stereotype to herself. Ancient round bezel with a cord, tight bun on the top of the head, pencil skirt in a broken brown color assembled with a small beige cardigan and moccasins to finish.

"It's time to leave. I'll take my lunch break, you can come back to the opening hours."She explained in a benevolent voice reminding me of an old grandmother addressing her grandchildren and I got up with a nod of my head before dusting me off. I leaned in order to get my books back to their places but the woman stopped me before I could reach them. "No, no, just go. I would arrange them myself. Don't worry.''

I stared at her a moment longer, unconsciously gauging the truth of her kindness before just shrugging my shoulders and whispering a faint - _thank you-_ before pulling the strap from my bag over my shoulder and walking towards the exit.

The last few months had made me paranoid. I could not help but constantly question the behavior of people around me. I really had a big problem. It was like this lack of confidence Damon had rubbed on me. Whenever I walked outside my room, I felt like someone watching me. Like right now, by the way.

I pushed the doors of the building and could not stop casting cautious glances over the entire square of the city. Most people did not give me a single glance but I could not help but look down at the floor and tighten my arms around my body to go unnoticed. I had never really been a fan of attention but since the trip to Duke it had only gotten worse. I felt like someone watching me and knowing that a vampire had been able to erase Vanessa's memory just to keep information about me was enough to drive me crazy. Just finding myself in society was enough to put me on the edge. I could hear the noise of people vacant in their occupations but most of their chatter was currently choked by the jittery rhythm of my heartbeat. I felt a trickle of sweat form along my forehead and along my spine and I pressed the pace without really looking where I was going.

I had not done two steps that I entered full force into a strong chest and almost tripped if it was not for the quick reflexes of my savior. I looked up with a timid expression about to apologize simply for taking a step with a bored look at the sight of the one I had hit.

''Well, well, well ! Look who decided to return to the living!"Proudly announced the vampire with a playful accent to which I just cast a scowl before circling him in the hope of leaving. Only, it was not counting on the persistence of Damon. "Wait!"

Against my best judgment, I stopped and returned with a mixture of boredom and mistrust. Well, that was before he took a couple of steps until he was only a few meters away. I felt my heart take a new turn at this new proximity and I had to swallow the bile forming in my throat. I did not really know why I was reacting like this. He was probably the only one to make me feel so vulnerable with a simple rapprochement and I hated it. I hated when my body responded to my place and I had to stop now.

With that in mind, I raised my head with confidence and crossed the almost gray bluish orbs of the vampire. I did not realize that he had been watching me all the time until he lifted his hand unconsciously wanting to take a step back in mistrust.

The latter must have noticed my indecision as he clarified his intention in a deep voice. ''You have some dirt on your forehead. Just there.''  
I felt my face empty in embarrassment and I immediately rushed to stupidly rub my forehead in the hope of removing it.

"Yeah ... uh ... I spend some time in the library." Honestly, I did not really know why I was justifying myself but I was so embarrassed that I didn't know really what I was doing.

"I can see that."The vampire nodded with a silly smile that did not look like him before he raised his hand again to reach my forehead.

I frowned in bewilderment at his sweet action that was unnatural before noticing the white cardboard pastry in his other hand.

''What are you-'' His electric touch stopped me in my inquisition and I looked into his own in a sort of trance as he used his thumb to remove the encrusted dirt.

I hated him. No, hated him and yet I was unable to control my heartbeat.

I swallowed hard saliva that formed in the hollow of my throat and avoided his piercing gaze before looking nervously around us in discomfort. I watched most of the locals go about their business until their eyes caught a familiar face looking straight at me.

I unconsciously recoiled that alerted the vampire only my attention was focused solely on Tyler.

The latter gave me a brief nod, begging me to follow him and I was already going around the vampire with a frown engraved on my forehead.

"I-I have to go."

I had barely detached my eyes from Tyler to warn the vampire and I accelerated the pace in his direction just to stop me in a sudden movement at the sight of the vampire barring me again the road.

I gave Tyler a worried look before I looked at the vampire, annoyed and nervous. '' Get out of my way, Damon! ''

"Ouch!" Hissed the vampire with a falsely hurt expression."And I who thought we were advancing in our relationship."

That was enough to detach me completely from Tyler as I narrowed my gaze on the vampire before letting a laugh burst out of my lips.

He was just impossible to control.

''Do you ... ah! Ah! Wait! "I was literally holding my belly at this point, royally ignoring the bored expression of the vampire and finally swallowing the rest of the laugh, pointing at him seriously." You seriously thought that I going forgive you? "

''Well ... '' Replied the vampire with a snide grimace before continuing pretentiously. '' You spoke to me. That must mean a little, no? "

I felt a new wave of hatred towards the vampire and clenched my fists in exasperation. I honestly hated every plot that made it up and I wanted more than anything to erase that condescending smile from his face only, there was always a part of me that held me back.

I tempered myself and shook my head to keep from exploding on him. "I don't have the time for that. Neither the desire, ok? "

I raised my hands irritably and began to walk again and pulled my phone out of my pocket.

''Later then! "I heard the vampire behind me and I had to bring my full attention to my screen so I would not go back to his next words."We see each other on Jenna's barbecue. "

I quickly scrolled through my contacts in search of Tyler's ID and tried to ignore the anger overwhelming me with this new information. I knew this idea of a barbecue was far too fishy to be Jenna's.

I sent a message to Tyler to find out where he was now and he quickly sent me a text asking me to join him behind the Grill. It only increased my anxiety about him and I hurried on without really realizing it. I crossed the main square having already forgotten my confrontation with the vampire and was almost behind the Grill when I felt a tug on my arm just before being gagged and drag in an alley without even having time to struggle.

I felt my heart quicken in my chest as the adrenaline pumping through my veins and I was ready to defend myself when my assailant came closer. I kicked my knee with all my strength in his groin with the hope that he was not a vampire and he was not slow to release me with a groan suffocated in pain.

"Fucking sh…it Mila!" Cried my assailant in a familiar voice, and I quickly stepped back from the wall against which he had trapped me.

I narrowed my eyes on the back of the man just for widen my eyes at the sight of teenager.''Tyler? It's you? ''

"Who did you want it to be? Fuck!" He grumbled, straightening himself while keeping his hand on his crotch. "Shit! But why the hell did you do that? "

I frowned hard at his luster and crossed my arms over my chest in my defense."You're the one who pulled me into an alley like an old pervert. For all I knew, you could have been a sick person ready to kill me. "

I watched as he was still trying to get up despite the pain and could not help a small smile to settle on my lips to the hilarity of the situation.

"Oh yeah, sure that Mystic Falls is famous for its criminal population!" Barked Tyler visibly annoyed just that was enough to cool me down completely.

I lost my smile and stared at him solemnly."You can't imagine what's going on here."

I froze instantly, realizing that I had expressed my thoughts aloud and Tyler soon imitated my position as he slowly looked at me with determination.

''So tell me ! And don't lie to me, Mila. "I swallowed the bile with difficulty and felt my hands become moist." Tell me, Mila. I know you know about Mason so tell me the truth."

"Mason?" I frowned in uncertainty not really understanding where he was coming from and I saw a burst of anger pass over his face in frustration as he straightened up and took a furious step towards me.

"Stop doing it like that you didn't know!" He cried, startling me in fear as he pinned me against the wall. "Stefan was there. He told you that! "

This time, I was really puzzled. I had not heard of the vampire since I was home from Duke. Tyler seemed to notice my sincerely lost look and a slight frown marred his face as he examined me more closely.

"You don't know about my family's curse, do you?" His voice was barely more than a whisper but I still managed to catch the essential.

My eyes widened in fear as I realized the meaning of what he had literally admitted and I suddenly clung to his biceps.

"What do you mean by that, Tyler?" I asked impatiently as he seemed barely reacting to my touch.''Tyler, tell me what he tell you!''

He took his eyes off the ground and plunged his brown orbs into my eyes with a lost air. I listened to him trying to keep a face as neutral as possible but it was really difficult.

Honestly, I did not know if I was more disappointed by the fact that Stefan had not said anything to me, or rather panicked at Tyler's revelation.

It turned out that the werewolf existed well. Mason was living proof of it. Tyler told me how he had found his uncle's SUV through the woods and how Mason had appeared in front of him completely naked and full of dust like he had just rolled in the mud. He remembered the conversation he had had with Mason on the subject and Isobel's research was accurate.

It was a curse only, it needed a kind of trigger according to Mason. Obviously, the latter, had not wanted to reveal more and now, we were with more questions than answers.

Tyler finally took a deep breath to try to calm down after all that he had confessed to me before returning his attentively on me with a serious air. '' And that's not all! ''

Obviously!

"How's that?" I asked, feeling my head spinning in anticipation of what was coming next.

''I don't really know what it's but Mason didn't stop asking questions about a moonstone.''He declared, rubbing his forehead before leaning against the brick wall while my frown deepens in confusion.

''A moonstone? What would he look for it? ''

Tyler shrugged in uncertainty."I don't know. He said it was a family heirloom. "

We had sat against the wall during his explanation rather and I turned my head toward him with an arching eyebrow in doubt. "Do you believe him? ''

I never thought I could question Mason's word. He had been someone important to me and I really hoped that our friendship could avoid the tragedies of the supernatural.

Well, it looks like it was wishful thinking.

"I don't really know what to believe." Tyler answered honestly, making me look at him empathically.

I knew how we felt when we learned about the supernatural and I could easily understand the helplessness in which he was. I knew that I should also tell him about vampires, but I thought that was enough for him. It was hard to accept for someone like me who had no connection to the supernatural at first so I did not even want to imagine how he would feel if he learned that there was more.

Suddenly, my mind wandered towards Felix and I instantly turn my eyes on Tyler. '' Tyler! Did Mason tell you if the curse was affecting everyone in your family? "

At that, Tyler gauged me in confusion and frowned."Why are you asking me that?" Under my silence, Tyler stood up abruptly and threw me an impatient glow. "Answer the question, Mila."

I got up at once with an uncertain look and nervously nibbled the inside of my cheek under pressure. I was still not used to facing pressure situations and having to hide the truth from everyone was starting to become more and more difficult.

'' I ... I ''

"Answer the freacking question!" Barked Tyler again taking a threatening step towards me and I jumped in a fit of panic.

The veins of his neck came out with all his rage and every step he took towards me was enough to put me completely on the edge. I had never feared Tyler but right now I could not deny he was scary. On a self-preservation access, I started to run as fast as possible towards the main square. I knew I would have to stay and help Tyler get back on top, but with everything that had happened in the last few days, I was no longer sure to have the stature to face that sort of thing.

* * *

My mind was already upside down from what I had learned in Duke and I had just kicked my feet out of my room. I had run all the way to the house without ever stopping or looking behind me. I had gone straight through the living room ignoring the bewildered looks of people cluttering our living room and bolted up the stairs until I was sure I was safe in my room.

I was now resting against my closed door and trying as hard as it was to catch my breath. My heart was pounding against my ribcage and my lungs were burning with my intense effort. I felt hot tears settle in the hollow of my eyes as I ran down the door in exhaustion and I had to fight against my own body so as not to crash here and now.

All my limbs burned, screaming in agony like they were on a blazing fire and soon my layers of clothes were too much. I tore off the band holding my hair in a high tail and continued pulling off my hoodie followed by my short-sleeved T-shirt. The dull sound of the clothes falling on the floor mixed with my choked gasp and I rolled into a ball on the ground. The cold of the floor against my cheek was like a blessing and I gnawed my lower lip until I took some blood in the hope of keeping my cries in silence.

I made a panic attack and the time would not be long before I succumbed completely into an abyss of unconsciousness. I closed my eyes tight and tried to catch my breath under control. In a burst of determination, I pulled myself on my feet using the doorknob and helped me of the wall to go to our shared bathroom. I had to stop the attack before it became irreparable. I slipped hard into the tub and turned the valves before curling up on myself.

The freezing water against my smoking body gave me chills all the way down my back and I would clench my teeth to hold the sobs from bursting from my chest. I stayed in this position for what seemed like an eternity until my breaths returned to normal and the coldness of the jet was felt. I left my trance with a start and hastened to cut off the water before looking at my body still dressed in my jeans now soaked.

I stepped over the edge of the tub trying to hold myself together despite the quake assault that overwhelmed me and grabbed a towel before wrapping it around my frail body in the hope of getting some semblance of warmth.

I was still trying to figure out how I got there and could not stop the feeling of anxiety from growing. It had been months since I had suffered such a panic attack and I was seriously beginning to think that everything that was happening might have become too much for me.

I quickly made my way to my room to strip off my wet jeans before replacing it with a new outfit. I throw the towel in the laundry basket and hesitated for a moment before meeting my reflection through the big mirror in the bathroom. My former porcelain complexion had turned gray and purplish rings had settled under my eyes. My lips were still chapped by my icy shower and I nonchalantly knotted my hair wet in a messy bun before making my exit quickly.

I put on a simple legging with a large green Oxford sweatshirt before stopping in the middle of my room. I watched the mess I had previously caused with a wave of anxiety along my veins before nibbling on my lower lip. I could not stay longer in this restricted space. Although it was my room, my sanctuary, I felt oppressed between its walls. I could not continue like this. I really needed to get out of this infernal sphere. I could not keep my thoughts to myself. It was Alaric who was right. The more I kept things for myself, the more I lost my sanity. I had just had a panic attack and one of the biggest to that.

I hurried down the stairs holding onto the rail just to make my way to the living room at the agreement of Jenna's drunk cries.

''Dress! Ballerina! Ballet! ''

I crossed my arms over my chest with an almost impressed look as I watched as Damon animatedly drew a wolf wearing a tutu. My gaze immediately turned to Mason, who did not seem amused at all by the not-so-discreet insinuations of the vampire and rolled his eyes at Caroline's next attempt to guess.

''Puppy! Puppy! A puppy with a tutu. ''

Damon rolled his eyes with a smirk and pointed straight at his sketchy drawing just to make me wince at Jenna's drunken assumption.

She really had the hysterical liquor.

I almost failed to let go of a laugh as she became confused in her proposals and ended up by calling Damon a hunting dog and decided to cut short the carnage.

"Dancing with the wolves." I declared, leaning against the crack of the opening while all eyes were on me.

''This is cheating! Mila didn't even play! "Cried Jenna, making me sigh before turning my attention back to Mason as he rose from his seat to join me.

"Little Gilbert!" He exclaimed before rising from the ground in a crushing bone hugging what  
surprised most of our entourage.

I was trying to control my heartbeat as well as the redness settling on my face as he rested me but it seemed like Aunt Jenna had a whole different idea as she stood up and gave a predatory and mostly drunk look on Mason.

''Whoa, whoa, be careful, she's my niece and far too young for you! "She warned with a threatening finger in his direction that only accentuated my embarrassment, unlike Mason who laughed loudly.

"Oh my god!" I breathed under my breath before giving Rick an insistent glance in the hope that he would do something just to see his gaze focused on Damon, who was currently glaring at us.

I turned to Aunt Jenna in the hope of escaping unwanted attention and decided to take care of it myself. "Ok! Obviously, someone a little abused champagne. Jenna. ''

I motioned for her to follow me with a whim and did not give her the choice as I pulled her with me simply to meet Elena in the kitchen. She seemed to be in one of her moody moods and I had to admit that I envied her. She always seemed to have the time to mope on herself while I had to constantly deal with all this roller coaster of emotions. I had never felt so badly in the last few months and wondered when the last time was, I took the time for myself and myself.

I juggled perpetually between panic, fear, sadness, frustration and anger and I did not really know where I was now. I had just had a panic attack and yet, I was there, battling with Jenna to get her liquor.

I poured her a glass of water before turning to Elena with an accusing look.''Who had the idea to serve her so much to drink? ''

''Hey! I'm here! "Jenna mocked in a childish tone to which I just rolled my eyes before frowning at the entrance of the irritating vampire.

However, I found myself smiling at Jenna's banter at his attention. "You're here. It's not funny!''

''Yes. Thank you for inviting me.'' Replied the vampire with a carnivorous smile visibly unaffected by her annoyed tone.

''I had a choice? '' Sighed Jenna clearly not ready to let herself be carried away by these charms.

I stood on the side as a kind of spectator and could not stop the frown from appearing on my face at the next replica of the vampire. He was mostly unfathomable and I wondered where he was coming from with that. All this barbecue idea was obviously his idea and I did not really like the creeping feeling in my stomach in anticipation. He was probably going to do something unpredictable and especially bad for my family and I preferred if Jenna was not included in his plan as at this moment.

I had lost the thread of their conversation until the vampire went straight to a silver plate with a conspiratorial look.

"It's chic."The vampire commented with a scary smile that I could not help but get closer in worry.

The vampire just turned to me as I moved and shared his conspiratorial gaze assuring me that everything he had in mind was not going to end well.

However, Jenna did not even seem to notice our silent exchange as she answered with a nonchalant shoulder shrug before heading back to the living room. "Thank you. It's my mother's silverware. "

I watched Jenna's retirement with a sense of panic before quickly bridging the gap that separated me from the vampire and slammed hard his hand trying to reach for the silverware with a stern look.

"Whatever you want to do, don't do it!" I asked coldly, giving him a sharp look as he stared at his hand, which I slammed, with an air of impress. I rolled my eyes at his expression and crossed my arms over my chest in the defense as I approached him whispering."Don't be a real jerk for once!"

He went on with a falsely innocent air that only accentuated my brilliance. "I don't see what you want to talk about. I'm just buddy-buddy with your friend. "

"Looking at our silverware?" I snap, before rolling my eyes in exasperation. "You played it Long Chaney. Jr now?"

"Hm!"Hummed the vampire with a smirk which only added to my irritation."Looks like Nancy Drew did some documentation on werewolves."

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration sighing heavily before rubbing my face wearily, which caused some change in the vampire. He took a step back by watching me more carefully from head to toe before stopping his gaze on my face causing me a feeling of nervousness under his calculating eyes.

"Why do you have wet hair?" He questioned blankly, leaving me in a frozen state as I slowly unfastened my hand from my face and stared at him in puzzlement.

"Seriously, Damon?" I snapped nervously before pointing to the busy living room. "We're moving away from the subject; don't you think?"

The vampire narrowed his gaze to me intensely as he took another step forward. '' Answer the question, Mila.''

"If I answer the question, can you promise me to do nothing unpredictable?" I tried in desperate hope, arousing the surprise and boredom of the vampire.

"You're blackmailing me now?" He declared falsely shocked and I rolled my eyes before giving him a bored glare.

''Please, we're not friends and I'm not really in the mood to argue with you, so... "

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon hated when she acted so casual about their friendship, but he could not deny that her honesty was what he was drawing to her. As much as Katherine and Elena had the gift of using charm to get what they wanted, Mila was just honest. A little too much sometimes for her own good but she did not care. It was something he had seen growing up in her and somewhere along the way she had grown on him.

However, right now, there was no question of honesty or subterfuge about the werewolf. He knew something was wrong with little Gilbert and the fact that she has wet hair and heavy dark circles under her eyes did nothing to calm the vampire's curiosity down. For some unknown reason, he wanted to know. He wanted to enter her circle and discover all that she only knew, he was close to his plan with the Lockwood and as much as he wanted to find out more about Mila, he could not leave his plan in abeyance.

 _ **Mila POV**_

"Well, since we're not friends, I guess I don't really have to listen to you, huh?" Damon replied with a sharp look before taking out the peach he had caught at his Grill.

I felt the bitterness of the vampire through his words and wanted more than anything to stop him from doing something stupid but he was far too limited to make any sense in his mind.

I could only follow him with a contrite air and watch the hell go wild.

Alaric and Mason were at the living room table and I was standing on the side without looking at Mason. I felt guilty for what was going to follow and I could not help but think how stupid it was.

"Mason." Damon called with a fake smile before pointing to the cake, jubilant, "Why don't you start."

I could easily see the vampire's pleasure in putting Mason in such a situation and glanced at Ric in the hope that he would stop this bloody carnage simply to find that he seemed to share the same evil vampire glow.

This time it was the end.

No matter what the two men said, they somehow created a kind of strange connection in which they liked to put up with fucking plans like this, by the way. I watched apprehensively as Mason nodded with a tense smile before widening my eyes as he used his hand directly without touching the knife.

"What?" He questioned as the whole group stared at him like a kind of beast and I could not help the smile bloom on my lips at his apology. "I'm sorry. I'm an animal.''

I was temporarily forgetting the mischievous field in which I was standing and nodded before following Mason's example simply to annoy the vampire.

"That, I'm not going to contradict you!" I said with a nod to Lockwood.

The latter gave me a nod in agreement as he gave a sly look at the vampire and Alaric while Jenna stared at us with an uncertain little laugh.

"So, Mason, you and Jenna never went out together?" Alaric suddenly asked to defuse the tension in the room even though it seemed a little suspicious.

''She's always been addicted to Logan Fell-land.'' Mason answered before making me feel slightly uncomfortable at his next comment.''Plus, I spent more time with little Gilbert here. ''

He put a muscular arm around my shoulders to prove his point and hugged me by giving a defiant look at the vampire as this gesture meant something for some reason and I just smiled nervously while Jenna hummed in agreement.

"My first mistake."She commented with a hint of bitterness at the thought of this jerk before continuing to sink deeper into my embarrassment. "Mason was a nice party. The girls were queuing but it seems that only Mila could have him for herself. "

At that, Mason shrugged, playfully. "What do you want? I've never been able to resist those cheekbones and cute little pigtails."

I frowned in embarrassment and raised my hands in surrender. "Fine, now enough with the memory of the past. ''

''What is it, Mila? "Questioned Mason with a teasing accent." Frightened that I can tell embarrassing anecdotes?''

I narrowed my eyes on him with a first real smile since my panic attack and hit him lightly on the shoulder to the surprise of Ric and Jenna and the irritation for the vampire who stared at us with boredom. ''You wouldn't dare? "

"That's weird!" The vampire's voice suddenly came in as he stepped between Mason and me, making me want to punch him. "I thought you were a lone wolf."

Honestly, I did not know how Mason could keep his cool with the vampire's perpetual attacks and innuendo. I had been in the room for a short time and I could already do more. I did not really know what it meant for my patience with the vampire.

In fact, yes! I did not have any.

"I'm sure I wasn't as good a slayer as you are." Mason replied as mildly as possible before he raised his glass towards the vampire with a tight smile. ''To new friends. "I watched as he drank his glass after stating the famous _-cheers-_ and turned my attention to the vampire with boredom.

I was tired of being a spectator of this real mess. Without even announcing my departure, I went back to my room and closed behind me before grabbing my trusty pair of vans and putting on my shoes. I needed to get out of here and do something good in my life for once. I wanted to act like Elena and be able to mope on just plain things instead of constantly worrying about the supernatural and I was going to act now.

I walked to my desk and grabbed my SUV keys and scard before going out with the intention of shedding light on my current life. I undid my elastic hair on my way and walked down the hall before stopping at the lounge where Caroline and Elena seemed in the middle of a fight. I did not really know what got them in this kind of fight but I could not care less.

I cleared my throat, calling their attention to me.''I'm going out so uh ... tell Jenna for me?''

I did not even wait for her answer to make my way to the exit but the quick steps and the familiar voice of Elena stopped me in my ascent as I turned to her with an arched eyebrow.

''Where are you going? Are you going to see Stefan? Wait, I'm coming with you."She asked impatiently, forcing me to flash a questioning look at the blonde who seemed upset about something.

I stopped her in her run for her coat with a stern look. ''Whoa, whoa, where is the fire?''

"Stefan doesn't answer his phone and I'm worried something could happen to him. I must see him. "She explained the obvious panic in her voice but I could not really focus on what she was saying when Caroline seemed to be acting so strange.

Her expression seemed to be decomposed as Elena explained herself and she seemed to be looking at anything except me, so she was scared.

"Are you all right, Caroline?"I asked with a frown at the attention of the blonde as she jumped slightly to my question before chewing nervously on her lower lip.

''Huh? Uu-uh ... yes-no ... well, yes! Yes, yes, I'm fi-''

''Mila? Are you listening to me? '' Elena abruptly cut her to draw my attention to her and I just gave Caroline another suspicious look before just shrugging nonchalantly.

I cautiously approached Elena and spoke as discreetly as possible. "He's a vampire, Elena. If anything, you're the best person to be in danger here so I'll be you, I will not worry so much. Also, I'm not going to the boarding house so ask someone else to drive you there. "

The look of surprise and shock was legible on their faces but I just straighten my hoodie before turning around and opened the door before closing it behind me.

I knew it would not be a pleasure.

* * *

When I thought of going to speak to Felix, I thought I would find him in his home, but a visit to the Cooper's house had taken me here. I had completely forgotten that he had to work at the Grill today and now I was sitting in one of the boxes not belonging to his section in the hope of being able to observe him without having to confront him.

I knew. It looked suspiciously like a scary stalker would do, but I could turn my mind over and over since I was sitting down, I could not find a single word to talk to him about. His betrayal was still fresh in my mind and I did not know how to deal with him.

''Do you plan to spy on me like a scary little stalker for a long time? '' I jumped at Felix's sudden appearance and widened my eyes in embarrassment before playing absently with my hands in search of a way to start the conversation. "Well? Are you going to say something or just stay here like a fish? "

"I'm sorry." I surprised myself by the first words that came out of my mouth and looked timidly towards Felix in the hope that I had not annoyed him more just to feel even more nervous when he sat in front of me.

"But still?" He raised an eyebrow expectantly and I frowned puzzled.

"And ... shouldn't have had to put so much time to apologize?" My tone was uncertain and Felix shook his head in disappointment.

"You're afraid for the excuses, Mila!" He said in a condescending tone before leaning against the leather sofa back and giving me a look."You're going to tell me what's going on? I mean ... everything that's going on? "

I felt my brain screaming how stupid I was for trying to reconnect with Felix but I could not continue like that. Maybe I could not tell him everything but I had to get him back at all costs and if that meant having to include him in the disaster that was my life then that was what I was going to do. I had already tried to push him away and we had seen how it worked. I could not get everyone away and more, I could not protect everyone. It did not concern me anymore. It was about Felix and whatever, what I wanted to do to keep him safe and sound. I could not forget that he was a supernatural being.

Then, with a sigh, I leaned over the table and gave a look at Felix with concern."I wish I could tell you everything here and now, but I can't-"

''And you're finish talking."Interrupted Felix abruptly as he rose from his seat and I was quick to imitate him in haste.

"Wait!" I grabbed the sleeve of his T-shirt to stop him in his flight and asked him to listen to me. "I said I couldn't tell you now but if you give me more time then I'll tell you everything you want to know. Absolutely everything, Felix. ''

He was looking straight ahead in all my explanation but ended up looking in my direction in mistrust and challenge. "Absolutely everything?"

"Absolutely everything." I agreed with a nod.

We exchanged silent looks. He and I both lost in our thoughts to even say something else when the voice of one of the bartenders barking after Felix to resume work interrupted us.

"Good!" Sighed Felix, giving a hint of a smile to my lips before he stopped me dryly. "This is your last chance, bitch. Don't drop everything in place. ''

''Felix! ''

"You should go back to work before he calls your boss to the rescue." I told him with a sincere smile to which Felix merely rolled his eyes.

''Please, this bar would be nothing without me."He boasted with a wink before heading back to the bar, but not without shouting his madness over his shoulder." Oh ... by the way, you look horrible. ''

I shook my head in disbelief and quickly sat down in my place in embarrassment as most of the customers had turned in my direction making me feel uncomfortable. I decided to wait until the end of Félix's shift so I could spend the evening with him and spent most of my time playing with grains of salt that I poured on the table when I felt a new presence install in front of me.

I immediately raised my head in surprise just to frown in boredom at the sight of the most infuriating vampire in the city."What do you want now?" I said, having no patience to endure more of his idiocy.

Only the vampire just strengthened his shine on me in irritation. "Did you know the silver wouldn't work?"

''What? Wait ... how ... ''

"Don't pretend to be surprised, Mila."He grumbled visibly furious at his failure, making me cross my arms over my chest as I gave him a defiant look.

''No, I didn't know, Damon.'' I answered coldly, narrowing my eyes at him sarcastically.'' But thanks anyway for the info.''

I was honestly expecting a boring comeback from the vampire but certainly not at this frustrating silence. I frowned, puzzled and called for the vampire who just put his finger against my lips to shut me up.

"I'm trying to listen here."

I recoiled from his touch with a furious glow. "What are you trying to listen to? Psycho. ''

"Your insults are getting old, Mila."Sighed the vampire as he tilted his head to the right and I followed his motion just to look up at the sight of Stefan and Elena.

"Seriously? You spy on their conversations no-"

His hand fell on my mouth without me having time to finish my sentence and I widened my eyes in anger.

"Hold on!" He snapped irritably, keeping his hand on my lips before he smiled and stared at me."I must admit that you are certainly easier to bear in this position."

In an outburst of anger, I slapped his hand away from my face and soon showed him my middle finger before getting up and walking straight to the exit of a furious step. I felt so angry now that I could just explode in front of everyone if it could make my anger easier. I hated him. No, hated him and yet he always had to encroach on my life. He was constantly around and took pleasure in making my life impossible.

I forcefully unlocked my SUV and climbed inside the cockpit before turning on the ignition and released the parking brake. I started my first gear in the irritation and pressed the accelerator to get away from this place as soon as possible. As I knew him, he would be able to come back to torment me.

I turned on my radio and pushed the volume knob up as I took a new road to Lockwood. I knew it would be difficult but I needed more response and only Tyler could provide it. No matter how worried I was to see him again after this morning, I could not avoid him. Not if I wanted to master the subject to help Felix. I had promised answers and that was what I was going to do but, in the meantime, I needed more information.

I focused my attention on the road when a kind of blur passed right in front of me forcing me to slam the brakes in a moment of panic. My body hit the safety belt hard on impact and I winced slightly as the heat of pain spread through my limbs before looking straight ahead in panic.

I was not crazy, I had seen something. I felt my heart speeding up in my chest at the thought that I might meet a new vampire trying to make of me his dinner and soon jumped when my passenger door was opened before an exact replica of my older sister entered in the cockpit with a Cheshire smile.

"You should lock your doors. You never know what can come out of the woods."The brunette commented, widening her mischievous smile with an air of mischief before she increased the volume of my radio and settled more comfortably in the seat as she possessed the place."I love this song."

I slowly recovered from my shock and tried to calm my beating down as I bitterly and established the obvious. "Katherine."

* * *

 _ **Whoa ! I must say that I am really thrilled with all your comments. Although I am a little lost now lol. Yesterday Stefan was in the lead but now Damon is obviously the man of the day ^^**_ _ **I always leave the pairing suspended (for surprise effect of course).**_

 _ **On the other hand, I would like to hear your thoughts on history in general.**_

 _ **Oh and if some of you want to give a name of ship for your favorite pairing, don't be shy and tell me your ideas...  
**_


	27. Chapter 27 : Hope is a dangerous thing

**Chapter twenty-seven : Hope is a dangerous thing for a woman**

I turned around and flipped over my sheets, struggling and pushing the blankets out of my body before freezing with a tired sigh. My eyes fixed on my ceiling dimly lit by the moonlight, I thought back to my interview with the vampire. If I had thought that Damon Salvatore was the most execrable vampire I knew, it was probably because I had not had a conversation with the look-alike yet.

 _I slowly recovered from my shock and tried to calm my beating down as I bitterly and establishing the obvious. "Katherine."  
_

 _"The one and only."She praised proudly before faking a pout of disappointment. "Well, I'm a little disappointed that my interpretation of Elena is not working so well with you. I'm very good at it."  
_

 _"Yeah,well maybe try acting less bitchy." I replied sharply before shrugging, accompanying my sarcasm."Oh, and I guess living most of my life with her also do it."  
_

 _I knew that I should be shaking in front of the vampire since she could be even more damaging than Damon but for some foreign reason, I could not help but bring out my combative side and hard in her presence.  
_

 _"Hm."The vampire hissed like a scary grin adorned her lips as she stared deeper into me."Aren't you a real pleasure? I'm sure Damon must have a hell of a time with not to tear your hair out. I'm surprised he didn't kill you. Yet."  
_

 _I felt a chill run down at her cheeky tone like we were not talking about my hypothetical death and tightened my grip on my steering wheel to stop the tremors that threatened to overwhelm me.  
_

 _I overcame my initial fear and raised my head in defiance. "It must be my personality. He secretly enjoys our bickering."My sarcasm emphasized every syllable I uttered, but it seemed as if with Damon it amused her more than anything else. Exasperating, I decided to cut the hunt and went straight to the point"But I guess you didn't get into my car to tell me about your boy toy, did you?"  
_

 _''What makes you say that? Maybe I just wanted to have a nice girl talk? "Katherine mimicked a falsely outraged mine making me narrow my eyes at the vampire with irritation._

 _It was already maddening to have lived all my life with Elena but having to face her double from under everything was a real ordeal. I had not been with the vampire for more than ten minutes yet I wanted to impale her.  
_

 _''_ _Tell me what you want, Katherine?'' I used to weary of these petty little games just to feel my heart quicken to her much darker, more menacing expression.  
_

 _"I find you very impertinent for a simple human."She said coldly but not without losing her carnivorous smile.  
_

 _I had been through this kind of threat before and even though I knew I should be better off, I was not as weak as I was when I discovered vampires.  
_

 _I looked hard and reinforced my glare on the vampire with disdain. "You would have killed me already if you didn't want something from me so tell me what you want.''  
_

 _An impressed shine settled on the perfect face of the brunette as she raised a brown eyebrow perfectly shaved to my attention before leaving a confident smile and almost innocent through its characteristics._ _I could not deny that the vampire was beautiful. She had some more than my older sister who made her more seductive, so to speak, but if she looked so seductive, she lacked the candor and generosity that Elena seemed to bring with her._

 _Katherine with characteristics far too cold to be nice. The more I looked at the vampire in front of me and the more the differences jumped to my eyes._

 _Honestly, I was still wondering how others could not differentiate them. They were opposites for me._

 _''Well, it's not as fun as I would have thought."Sighed the brunette deceptively disappointed before continuing with the most serious tone I had seen at home. "You're right, I want something. In fact, I want a lot of things, Mila. "_

 _I raised an eyebrow at her confession, not really understanding why she was telling me all this without compromise and announced my reluctance aloud. "Why are you telling me this?"  
_

 _I might think she was telling me that because she intended to kill me but a deep feeling pushed me to go with her plan. I knew that I would probably burn myself to play with the vampire but I could not help but let my curiosity take over.  
_

 _An evil grin adorned her lips as she handed me a white paper folded between her fingers pulling me a look intrigued and slightly confused.  
_

 _"What is it?" I asked with a suspicion of suspicion.  
_

 _"You want answer, right?" I stared at her innuendo and the smile she wore seemed to expand further if that were even possible. "Just come, Mila."  
_

 _She dropped the paper into my slide and I barely had time to catch up with her as the passenger door of my SUV was open before beating loose in the void like this the vampire had never been there in first place. I looked nervously at my now empty passenger seat in a moment of nervousness before biting on my lower lip and grabbed the piece of paper hesitantly._ _I gave one last glance at the empty square in uncertainty before unfolding the paper and frowned at the sight of a simple address written in a cursive script._

 _I easily recognized Katherine's neat handwriting from her previous note and felt the beating of my heart come down in a much more regular rhythm._ _I released a deep sigh and pushed myself against my seat before letting my head rest against the headrest._

 _I really did not know what to think after this strange interview with the vampire._

* * *

After that, I had pocketed the piece of paper inside my denim pocket for some reason and was going home.

I did not really know why I had kept it but I could not stop my gaze from drifting off my ceiling for my jeans resting on the back of my desk chair. I bit the inside of my cheek in uncertainty before releasing a bored growl and pushed my blankets to the sides before getting out of my bed.

I gave a cautious look at my closed door onto the shared bathroom before taking my jeans and pulled back the note from the back pocket. I eyed the note folded for a moment without doing anything before unfolding it with a weak breath.

 _ **1113 Martel Street, Whittmore. 8:00 am.**_

I did not know the address or where it led but I could not stop my curiosity. In a momentum, I pulled my desk chair making sure to stay as quiet as possible and opened my laptop. I waited for the software to take over and soon typed the address into my search engine just to leave an annoyed and incredulous expression on my face to the result.

''A Starbucks? A damn Starbucks? "I said irritably, shaking my head before letting it fall back into my hands.

She gave me the address of a damned Starbucks. I could not believe it. I had been torturing my mind all this time to know that. Well, I should have known that when it came to the vampire, nothing would come so easily.

Even if the situation was completely stupid in its entirety, I let my eyes rest on the clock of my pc and saw that it was a little more than 4:00 am. The trip to Whittemore was about two hours of roads. I could do it. I could just go to the meeting and act on the job. It was probably the worst idea I could think of but the vampire could have the answers I wanted and I was not going to miss my chance.

I could handle the vampire. I had been treating for months with the elder Salvatore, I could do it again.

At least, that was what I kept telling myself while I was getting ready. The day was going to be rather hot so I opted for a worn black short with opaque tights and a simple sleeveless T-shirt that I paired with a khaki jacket military style.

Once dressed, I gave a quick glance at the clock and found that if I wanted to arrive on time, I should leave now. I suspected that Katherine was not a patient girl and I had no problem imagining her to leave me behind. In fact, I had no certainty that she will even be present. For all I knew it could be a kind of trap and I plunged head first in the mouth of the wolf.

Stupid, will you tell me? I certainly was, but I was tired of fighting against things I only half knew.

The vampire was in town for a reason and she knew things about me. Things I feared. I could not deny that I was terrified of discovering that something was wrong with me too, but my inquisitive side just could not resist. I quickly pulled on a beanie before grabbing my keys from my SUV and tiptoed to the door separating the bathroom from my room and Elena's. I opened slowly and stopped, grimacing slightly as the handle creaked. I held my breath, glancing furtively at Elena's reclining figure and quickly closing her room. She was sleeping peacefully as usual.

I ended up discovering that the conversation that Damon had been listening to, was the conversation too much for the couple. I knew I would have to go to Stefan's house immediately to talk to him, but he did not give any sign of life.

In addition, I was always annoyed with him for not telling me anything when he met Mason in the shape of a wolf. He knew how much secrets were for me and him.

The last time the vampire had kept something from me was about my parents and Elena and even though I had forgiven him, I could not deny that it had hurt me more than I wanted to admit. Now things were different between us and I did not know if we could become what we were. Maybe we had crossed the line.

I decided to leave my thoughts aside and pulled myself out of my room as silently as I could before sneaking in the direction of the stairs.

I contemplated the idea of leaving my phone at home but thought that going to an unknown destination with Katherine was a pretty suicidal act for the day.

I paced the steps so discreetly on the stairs and silently unlocked the front door before sticking against the walls and storming out onto the porch. I ran for my SUV and switched on the ignition in a hurry. I went into reverse and pulled out as quickly as possible before turning on the headlights once I was far enough away from the street.

I looked at the digital dial and let out a sigh of relief. I was really going to do it. I was going to an appointment with the devil herself. Why did I feel that I had just given my soul to the devil?

* * *

I had watched the sun rise during the ride and now I was parked in front of the Starbucks that Katherine had indicated to me. I unconsciously tightened my grip on the steering wheel, feeling my conscience catch up with me and realized how stupid I had been. I was going to make an appointment with Katherine without any backup or any weapon whatsoever. I was going to confront a vampire even older than the Salvatore brothers themselves and she could easily kill me without anyone knowing where looking for me.

How to act more stupid and reckless?  
I looked at the clock for probably the tenth time since this morning and I noticed that there were only ten minutes left before 8:00.

It was now or never.  
With renewed courage, I unbuckled my belt by removing my keys from the ignition before exiting my SUV.

I locked behind me without ever taking my eyes off the coffee and stepped resolutely towards the entrance.

My eyes darted between the adjacent streets as I was already planning an ambush and my heart was quick to race in a fast race. I felt my hands become more and more sweaty as I took the steps towards the cafe and stopped just at the entrance. I looked up at the emblem nervously and nibbled the inside of my cheek before straightening my jacket and pushed open the door. A slight chime followed my entrance and my eyes swept the coffee in search of the brown head just to come back with nothing. My attention immediately fell on my watch in worry and I frowned slightly when I noticed that I still had five minutes in advance.

"Hm ... excuse me? Miss? "I jumped on the spot, taking my eyes off my watch just to force me to keep my heart rate down when I realized it was just a jolly blonde waitress. '' Do you want to sit down? ''

I felt the anxiety win and managed only a slight nod in acceptance before silently following her to a table. I took a seat while keeping an eye of my surroundings in search of the vampire but recognized only a few regulars and some businessmen.

"Can I serve you something?" Interrupted me again the waitress in in my train of thought.

I told her that I preferred to wait before ordering and she quickly withdrew with a clumsy look. I was not particularly in the mood for the company and even less for casual conversations.

I took my phone out of my jacket pocket and checked that I had no messages. It was still too early for Aunt Jenna or even Elena to notice my absence and I hoped it would be as late as possible. I did not even prefer to imagine the number of problems I was going to have to go through for my sudden disappearance.

''You came! And alone in addition!"I was startled by a voice that was all too familiar and I looked up from my screen to meet the scary look of Katherine Pierce alone, or rather Katerina Petrova"I don't really know what that means about you. You stupid or reckless?"

I swallowed the ball of anguish that had formed in the back of my throat and folded my arms on the table. "You said you had the answers to my questions."

''Ha, ha! ''Tsiked the boring vampire maliciously waving a manicured finger in my peripheral vision. '' We'll have the whole day for that. In the meantime, if we ordered, I'm starving. "

An unimpressed look settled on my face at her suggestion and I gritted my teeth together to keep myself from exploding on the vampire."You get me here to get a damn coffee?"

"Don't be such a killjoy, Mila."She moaned, raising her hand to call the waitress before turning to me with a fake friendly smile. "Patience is a virtue."

I felt my irritation growing on my nerves and was already beginning to regret putting on presents.

Only, I knew that the vampire would not let anything go unless I played by her game and if spending a hell of time with her meant getting her entire plan and more information then, it might be worth it.

The blonde waitress stopped at our height and gave us a wide, grinning smile increasing my boredom. "So, you finally made your choice?"

"Yes, I'm going to have a caramel macchiato as well as one of your sweet bagels." Katherine ordered acting strangely perky before she turned to wait for my order.

I quickly resumed my surprise and cleared my throat before ordering a black coffee without sugar in an impassive tone that earned a mocking sigh of the vampire while the waitress left us.

"I'm starting to think you're not going to be as fun as I thought." The vampire announced with a pout that could charm anyone but me. I knew she was a monster and I was certainly not going to let her have her trumps.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, leaning against the back of my seat as I focused all my attention on her.

Her scary smile once again filled her lips with my question, and she also focused her attention on me with a thoughtfulness before filling the tense silence between us.

"I always wanted a little sister. It's sad that my pathetic human look-alike has been able to take advantage of it."She stated, leaving me more confused than anything else. I did not really know where she was coming from with this confession but it did not inspire me any good."Again, it looks like she's getting everything I want without even an effort.''

"So that's it?" I asked with an arching eyebrow in disbelief. "It's all about jealousy?"

A laugh burst out of the brunette's lips at my comment and I narrowed my eyes to her next words. "Why else? That's not what humans know best? Envier? ''

"Yeah, I think we're going to avoid scornful comments." I warned her with a shine before temporarily taking off my attention from the vampire to accept my cup of coffee before opening my mouth for simply dismiss her. But I was prompt to close it in a line tighten to the actions of the vampire.

She grabbed the waitress's arm firmly, causing her to startle in surprise and apprehension, and soon plunged her sparkling brown eyes into the poor girl's bluish eyes before compulsion her with disdain. ''You see, my friend here thinks to be able to give me orders as she was the one in position of strength, which is obviously not the case. What do you think I should do?''

"Katherine, let her go!" I whistled between my teeth in worry, which only accentuated her carnivorous smile. "Katherine!"

The vampire momentarily took her eyes off the blonde to look at me with an air of power before publishing the waitress with a bad laugh."Relax, Mila! We just have fun here."She turned back to the blonde and forced her to quickly forget everything that had happened.

''It was a bad idea. I should never have come. "

I rushed to get up but ended up freezing when I felt a firm grip close around my wrist. I lowered my eyes on my hand and followed the hand and arm vampire leather before meeting her orbs burning madly.

"I really don't want to force you, Mila but I wouldn't hesitate if I have to."She said nonchalantly and I coldly rejected her hand before sitting down with irritation. "Clever girl.''

"I'm not your pet." I spat bitterly, glaring at her as I crossed my arms over my chest in anger.

Again, it was a bad idea. She was never going to give me the answers to my questions. For some reason, she liked to take pleasure in exasperating me and I was seriously beginning to think that I wanted to see her dead even more than the elder Salvatore. What we admit is not a trivial thing for me when we knew what he had done to Jeremy.

"If you want answers, you'll be everything I want." Katherine said, eyeing her manicure nails without any worries.

That was it. I waited for my limit of patience.

I slammed my fist on the table and pulled me dangerously close to the vampire, whistling softly and coldly."In that case, just cut the games and tell me what you want from me."

"In fact ... about you? Nothing. But your sister? A lot!" Replied the vampire, catching me off guard again with her enigmatic answers and I threw myself into exasperation against my seat before pinching the bridge of my nose.

I had to start somewhere and obviously she was not going to reveal anything to me immediately.

I decided to try a new approach."Why did you kill Caroline? Her death doesn't match your so-called motivations."

''Hmm. Nothing personal. I just like to share my entries."Eluded the vampire, which made it clear that there was obviously a lot more to what she claimed. I gave her an incredulous look and a smile was soon to redefine its features. '' You don't believe me. I'm starting to think that Damon has influenced you."

''I have nothing to do with this psychopath! '' I grunted, feeling my limits gradually tricked into mentioning the homicidal vampire.

"Oh yes, sorry I forgot he killed your precious twin."Openly mocked the vampire playing with my buttons.

''Because you had just broken his heart! Once again!"I cried, clenching my fists to keep my acid tone as low as possible so as not to draw attention to our duet." Why are you still playing with him? "

''Hmm. I was bored." Katherine sneered absentmindedly before shrugging her shoulders indifferently." The point is that you're defending him. You say you hate him but it's not really what you feel, is it?"

"Don't do like you know me." I warned, grinding my teeth slightly as I felt my anger pump harder into my veins to come out on the surface. I had never been so angry with anyone and her insinuations to the vampire just added my embarrassment to my irritation.

''On the contrary, Mila. I absolutely know how you feel. "Objected the vampire leaving me for a word loss as she continued." You're lost and disoriented. Your life seems to be slipping through your fingers and you're stupid enough to come here because getting answers is all you can think of to keep going. You don't want to be involved in this, do you? You would like to be free. So, believe me, I know what it is. Being free has been my only goal for more than five hundred years."

I watched in a stupefied silence not knowing what to answer and swallowed the bile forming in my throat before widening my eyes to the agreement of her revelation. I did not know if she had done it intentionally but she had just revealed something about her and for some reason I was convinced it was the truth.

However, it was not because she had just caught me off guard that I was going to leave my attitude. I could not let myself be so easily if I wanted to survive the day. I knew that the last few minutes were a kind of breakthrough as small as it was and I was certainly not going to give up now.

"Do you think that having my sister's life will make you free?" I chuckled coldly before releasing an icy grin, shaking my head in disbelief."Because that's the real purpose of your coming. Not Stefan or Damon. You are here simply for your own personal interest.''

''Hm. I'm going to have to remember you're smarter than you look."The vampire breathed like a petulant child before I'm giving her a faint glow to her understated meaning."So about Stefan-''

''We didn't talk about him and we will not talk about him.'' I cut her immediately in a rush which seemed to spark her curiosity as she clapped her nails against the table with mischief.

"What happened between you two? I thought you were best friends?"She asked with a jubilant look when she noticed my gaze wane a little in sadness.

I quickly looked away and crossed my arms over my chest before answering with a scowl and contrite. "We just drifted apart. It happens.''

"Ah, Stefan Salvatore!" Katherine sighed with a smirk. "He has the gift of leaving a mark, right? You should have seen him in eighteen hundred. Hm ... his beautiful, innocent eyes and-"

"Enough!" I snapped ferociously, taking my glare at the brunette."I'm not going to listen to you drooling, is it clear? He's my friend.''

"Is it true?" She questioned with an arching eyebrow in her malice."I mean, no one would blame you if you felt more. Certainly not me. ''

"You really have a big problem of real obsession to deal with." I declared with a slightly disgusted look at her innuendo.

I had never imagined Stefan as more than a friend and I would certainly never go to this side.

''This conversation is starting to get boring.'' Moaned the brunette before letting a wicked grin adorn her lips as she gauged me carefully.''This jacket is hideous. ''

* * *

How did I find myself in this position already? Oh yes, I had stupidly accepted a pact with the devil herself.

Honestly, I sincerely thought that her plan was to kill me by draining all the energy of my body. She had dragged me for the whole morning in a mall and had made me tried multitudes and multitudes of all more provocative and uncomfortable outfit like I was her Barbie doll and the worse was that she bought me most of them despite my incessant protests.

I really did not know why she was doing this.

If it was to get away from my real intention to come to her meeting point or if using myself for her own pleasure was the plan, she had always imagined from the beginning but I was literally exhausting. Emotionally and physically. Keeping online with the vampire was the most exasperating and difficult thing I had to do in my life. She kept talking about my sister or the Salvatore brothers as a real fanatic or rather a harassing stalker and I still had not gotten a single answer to all my questions. Well apart from certain enigmatic statements that always brought me to more questions.

And now, I was literally frightened and panicked out of my mind as a woman with an exuberant blue-tinted hairstyle was standing in front of me with the firm intention of cutting my hair under the vampire's precise orders. The latter was at my side currently being made manicure and I felt my heart jump in my chest in apprehension. I could not help but dread what would happen in the next few seconds.

My long curly hair had always been my biggest pride and I did not want it to change.

Only, I had gone to so much trouble to get as close as possible to the vampire and I knew I could not go back now. I was too close to my goal. Finally, I hoped because otherwise I had to endure all this for nothing.

"What do you think of that?" Katherine asked me, showing me a picture of a girl with hair dyed in a much darker color and my current color.

I detached my eyes from the image and despite my growing fear I decided to say my opinion aloud.

After all a small change could not be so bad, right?

A proud smile adorned the vampire's lips to my agreement and she passed the image to the woman before turning back to the other woman who was taking care of her. I felt the hairdresser take a step behind me and swallowed the bile of nervousness forming in the hollow of my throat before literally jump when I felt a hand close on my own.

"Whoa, relax, Mila! Looks like you've never done this kind of thing before. "Katherine scoffed but I could not really focus as I kept my frown on her hand holding me. I did not really like this surge of sympathy coming from the vampire. It did not look like her and gave me a very bad feeling.

Tired of all day, I decided that I had enough to endure to finally get the answers I expected.

I pulled her hand away from mine and stared at her form with determination.'' Why me? What is the day going for?"

"You don't understand yet?" The vampire questioned but did not give me time to answer as she continued."I thought I already told you that I always wanted a little sister, Mila."

"Bulls!" I snapped, before calming myself slightly when I saw the hairdresser startle at my shine. "I did everything you wanted. I even let you change my hair color so I deserve the answers to my questions."

''Well. I see that the fun time is over." The vampire rolled her eyes before turning her chair in my direction."What do you want to know?"

I widened my eyes slightly to her easy level of capitulation and babbled for a moment looking for a focus of my thoughts. I did not honestly think she would not give in so easily to at least that she would agree to answer me. I was divided in what I had to ask her. A rational part of me knew that I should ask her about her real motivation in her return to Mystic Falls but a much more selfish part wanted to know what she knew about me. On the searches disappeared.

With a surge of rationality, I asked the first question that came to my mind. "You never stop saying that you came back for Stefan, but your real motivation is more selfish, isn't it?"

"Ew!" Sighed the vampire, leaning nonchalantly against her seat as she stared at me in disappointment. "You're so predictable, Mila. I offer you the opportunity to answer the questions about the mystery around you and you still think about looking for answers for your friends. Is it not exhausting to constantly worry about others?"

"These people are my friends. My family."I retorted confidently before continuing sarcastically."Is not exhausting to be so selfish?"

''I beg you to differ. After all, we spent the day together and I only thought about you."She objected with mischief visibly enjoying my sarcasm and I just rolled my eyes, bored.

"Oh, excuse me, it's true it makes you a selfless person." I said ironically before resuming a serious look.

"I'm not the one who's compelled this little researcher, if you want to know." Announced the vampire openly changing subject exasperating me to the highest point.

Only, I could not really ignore her revelation.

Two parts of me were fighting for answers and this new information fed one of my sides. I guess I should take what the vampire gave me.

This would probably be the best use of this day.

"Well, but you know who did it then?" I refuted with an eyebrow raised in the interrogation.

"The real question is not who but why…''Replied the brunette leaving me even more confused.

I winced a little, no longer certain of what I wanted when suddenly the ringing of my phone rang out from the back pocket of the vampire's jeans. Katherine had grabbed it during our shopping spree and had kept it since saying it was a distraction. It had not stopped ringing and I could see that it was growing on the nerves of the brunette as she tore out of her pocket to glare the screen with irritation.

"Don't these people ever leave you alone?" She grumbled contemptuously as she pressed the red button to disconnect the call and I rolled my eyes.

"I left in the middle of the night without telling anyone. This is usually what happens when someone cares about you."I explained sarcastically before realizing what I had just confessed.

I swallowed the bile forming in the pit of my stomach as the vampire narrowed her gaze on me.

"You did not tell anyone that you were with me? This is completely stupid. ''You don't care about your life?"

"They would never let me go and I needed answers." I defended myself, crossing my arms over my chest.

''Your curiosity could easily blur your judgment.''Remarked the vampire with a thoughtful expression before a smirk settled on her demonic face. '' I could kill you and no one would know where your body are.''

At that, I felt my blood boiling in my veins and I did not control the next words that passed my lips as I raised my head with confidence.

"But you will not do it." The vampire raised an eyebrow but I did not give her time to elaborate her question as I went on."What the use to kill me if you can't get the merit?"

''Hm. True.''She agreed impassively.''But that's not really the reason I will not kill you. In fact, I could kill a lot of people in the next few days but you're not part of it."

''Why? Because you've always wanted a little sister, right?"I pretentiously shouted as I tried to ignore the chills creeping down my veins at her confession.

More people would die. I could not let that happen. At least not if I was going to stick around.

"I must admit that I am impressed. Well, I don't know if it shows your stupidity or your daring but the ease with which you speak to me is quite refreshing. I have not been challenged by a human for a long time.''Said the brunette leaving me in a silence as I stared at her contemptuously. '' Well, it looks like the color is ready.''

I felt nerves pick up my nerves again as I left Katherine for the hairdresser to rinse my hair and put me in anguish under the jet of water. I felt the woman's hands passed through my long locks and I could not help thinking that I had really done it. I had probably lost all sense.

After she rinsed my head several times to remove all traces of product, the woman dismissed me again in the chair in front of the big mirror next to Katherine who was smiling like a real Cheshire cat. I noticed that she had covered the mirror with my leather jacket and I threw her a gleam.

"What is this?" I said, pointing to the mirror and Katherine just rolled her eyes with her usual scary smile.

"Let yourself go, Mila."She thought impassively and I snorted in mockery.

''Let myself go? I think I let myself go enough today, don't you think?"I'm feeling my nerves and the day's catching up with me."And all that why? For stupid, enigmatic answers.''

A change in the expression of the vampire and even before I could blink her hand was around my throat while she pressed me with all her might against the back of my seat. My eyes went wide as I looked around for some help just to realize that she had compelled the entire hairdresser's leaving me more than to stay as calm as possible against the angry vampire.

"I'm getting tired of this attitude."She hissed venomously, picking up one of my splinters as I tried to breathe through her grip.

"You're not going to ... kill me." I breathed in two puffs as I tightened my hands on the armrest as she tightened her grip further until I felt her fingernails nibbled lightly my skin.

The vampire stared at me for a moment before pulling me forward just to push me back against the backrest with more force. My back hit the material with force and my breath was momentarily caught in my throat while the vampire laughed at my nagging cry.

''Amazing! Absolutely amazing!"She exclaimed, pacing in front of me as I held my neck aching to try to regain regular breathing." You never stop impressing me, Mila."

"Believe me it's not wanted!" I replied bitterly before I jumped when the woman went back to work with my hair like nothing of all that had happened."You've compelled everyone."

"Duh!" The vampire took her place at my side and measured me for a moment before putting her chin in her hand with a slight look of weird fascination.

"What?" I asked sharply, thinking that she had probably lost all the remains of her damn Machiavellian spirit.

"You make me think of me."She declared, taking me again by surprise for the millionth time today. "To ... human me, actually."

A burst of laughter passed my lips at this statement as I shook my head in acceptance. "Yeah! Don't try humor me, it's not really your scene."

"I'm serious."Assured the vampire making me instantly lose my smile as she continued quite seriously. "Innocent and strong at the same time. You care about your family and your friends and would be ready to do anything for them. Including risking your life by spending a day with me. Only, it's only appearances, isn't it? In truth, you want a lot more. You would only have to worry about yourself and only yourself. You're exhausted. You'd like to have the opportunity to look for yourself for once."I remained totally silent at her words, absorbing every word in the wrong consciousness knowing she might have some sense." I was like you at some point in my life. Believe it or not.''

I could not help but look at the vampire as her words seemed to have gotten somewhere inside my mind and could not stop flinching like a kind of automatism. It's true that I wish I did not have to worry sometimes and it was also true that I did this most of the time but it was also the only thing that differentiated me from the vampire in front of me. My attachment was what made me human.

"If looking for me means becoming a manipulative bitch like you then I'd rather stay where I am." I said, quickly picking up on my distraction.

My glow only seemed to delight the vampire as a broad smug smile graced her lips. "You will not stay clean indefinitely, Mila. You are weak but you will end up being strong. You'll be like me. "

I was tired of listening to her bullshit.

She had been growing on my nerves for far too long and I did not care what she could do. She could hurt me again for everything I cared about. I stared at her coldly before letting a grim grin settle into my features as I chose to hit where it hurt. I had spent enough time with the vampire to know certain buttons.

"Do you mean like the girl who never gets the boy? Who must constantly flee from her enemies? Yeah, I don't think so."

An angry glare flickered on the brunette's face as she grabbed my hand, pushing her nails into my skin pulling me a hiss of pain. She leaned dangerously close to my face and I swallowed hard my saliva that had accumulated in my mouth as she let her anger out in the open.

"Don't underestimate me, Mila."The vampire hissed dangerously close to my ear as a shudder ran down my spine."I did what I had to do to survive and you'd better to choose your words more carefully if you want to do the same, it's clear?" She planted her nails in my skin harder pulling another hiss of pain and pressed her words." Is it clear? ''

I shook my head against my will and groaned between my teeth."Very clear."

"Fine!" She pulled her nails out of my hand and bounced off her chair before quickly removing my jacket from the mirror and turned toward my reflection with a new ecstatic look."Let's see how it's look.''

Honestly, I did not really care what I could look like. All I could feel now was the throbbing pain where her nails were and I focused my attention on the marks she had left me before glaring at her through the mirror. My glamor was barely shaking her as her smile stayed in place and I flinched when she ran a finger over one of my newly tinted locks.

"It's perfect!" She asked before coming back to my side to pull me out of my chair against my will.

I immediately rejected her touch and quickly grabbed my jacket before putting it on. I threw my hair out of the leather material and broke a glint on the vampire who had watched all the action with an amused smile.

"Oh, well, Bouh, bouh! I hurt you!"She mimed like a whine only aggravating my anger before I was looking at the pocket of her jeans. She still had my phone. The vampire noticed my staring gaze and was quick to pull the object of the crime to shake it in front of my eyes.''What are you looking for? Your little backup?''

"I did everything you wanted now give it back to me. I'm done with you."I said tired of all these little games.

''Oh no, the part is just beginning, remember? "Objected the vampire sending me a feeling of discomfort in the pit of my stomach and I narrow my eyes on her taking a step in her direction.

"The game is over, Katherine." I explode, clenching my fists. "If you ever touch one of my friends, I swear I'll lock you where you should have been from the beginning.''

An evil smile adorned her lips as she placed her hand on her hip with attitude. '' There we go! Still threats that you will never be able to accomplish. You're only human, Mila. Don't forget it. "

"And I'm useful for whatever plan you have planned so if you don't want to lose a valuable asset then don't test me."

I snatched my phone from her hand forcefully and turned on my heels in a fit of anger before quickly leaving the hairdresser.

* * *

At first, I sincerely thought that she would never let me reach my SUV alive but it seemed that my words had burn in her as I finally reached the cockpit of the vehicle without problem. Once in the safety of my vehicle, I allowed myself to blow and passed briefly on my cell. I had tons of text messages from Elena and Jeremy as well as many missed calls from Jenna. Damn, even Alaric and Stefan tried to reach me. I decided to erase the many voicemail messages that filled my voicemail box since it would take years for the mail to be emptied and instantly got me on the road.

I was probably going to have a hell of scolding for missing, and even though I was not looking forward to going home, it would be better than sticking around.

* * *

 ** _Hello everyone,_**

 ** _Your reviews are great. They allowed me to continue the adventures of Mila. I know this chapter is a 100% Mila / Katherine chapter but their relationship is going to have a big impact on the next events. Not to mention that in my eyes, Katherine is one of the best wicked / lookalike Petrova. I just love her and I wanted her to be in a relationship with Mila. After all, Mila has a certain love-hate relationship with most of the villains in the show so it was obvious that Katherine was part of it._**

 ** _I hope to hear your feelings about this new paternship..._**

 ** _Until the next time my friends :)_**


	28. Chapter 28 : I'll still have me

**Chapter twenty-eight : I'll still have me**

I glanced at my window with a sigh for probably the hundredth time now.

After my little stunt with Katherine, Jenna had forced me at home. However, it allowed me to torture myself more about Katherine's motives. I had not stopped thinking about our conversations once. I knew now that she was here for a personal purpose and that had to do with Elena.

However, I had a lot to do. First, I had to find who I was. Or at least, my role in all that shit that was the supernatural. Then I had to deal with the Vampire VS Werewolf testosterone mini War and finally I had to keep my friendship with Felix and keep him away from this damn world for as long as possible.

In other words, I was screwed.

But first, I had to get out of this damn room. Which meant I had to get through Jenna.

I looked around my own personal cocoon before removing the plaid that I had wrapped around my shoulders to point to my dresser. I opted for black skinny jeans with a sports bra, a purple tank top with Aztec patterns and a green and black plaid shirt that I left open.

Once I was dressed, I picked up my phone, the keys to my SUV and quickly grabbed a black hoodie before putting on a pair of black low boots to match the rest of my clothes. I was still not interested in fashion, but the shopping I had done with Katherine was good for something.

I slid my phone into the back pocket of my jeans before hearing muffled voices in our shared bathroom. I was quick to recognize Jeremy's and Elena's finding that he was talking about one of my biggest concerns. Tyler! And to top it off, my stupid twin wanted to get involved voluntarily in this collective suicide that represented our life now.

It was great! Not, really it was just fucking perfect!

''By definition, as I am from the family I would be involved.'' I heard my twin idiot and that was more than I could bear to hear.

I turned the handle in a burst of irritation, calling out the attention of my two brothers and sisters before throwing a glare on my twin idiot. "It's too dangerous, Jeremy. Stay out of this, all right! ''

''Mila? I thought you were sleeping? "Exclaimed Elena in surprise as I rolled my eyes over the boring brunette before turning my attention to my twin in impatience.

"I'm serious, Jer!"

"Oh, really?" Challenged the dark-headed as he stepped into annoyance to stand up to me."Because that's exactly what you're doing. To stay out of it.''

I immediately pinched the bridge of my nose in exasperation before shaking my head in indignation."Just do what you're told for once."

"Good, all right!" Jeremy growled under his breath visibly against the idea before tramping his way with his bag on his shoulder towards the stairs.

I watched him go suspiciously before turning to Elena for an understanding of her questioning."Are you still not going to tell us where you were the other day?"

"I just needed to blow off some steam, okay!" I snapped back before imitating Jeremy with the intention of making a quick getaway.

Getting stuck by Elena was the last thing I needed.

Indeed, I managed to keep my day with Katherine a secret. And I wanted it to stay that way. My mind was full of questions about my subject and Katherine's words were not far away. I even thought about what she had told me. It was as if they were embedded in my mind and no matter how hard I tried to forget them, they kept coming back to haunt me.

I rushed down the stairs four at a time, shaking my head before abruptly stopping in front of our front door at the agreement of Jenna's serious voice.'' Where do you think you're going like this?''

''Look for Felix. It was his family who donated to the public park, did you forget? "I recalled hopefully in my voice.

"Oh, no, I have not forgotten. Just as I did not forget that you were grounded for three weeks."Jenna replied immediately, folding her arms over her chest with a sharp look, making me wince in frustration.

As if that was not enough, I felt the back pocket of my jeans vibrate telling me that I had a message. I was eager to get it under the eyes inquisitor of Jenna before swallowing hard to see the name of Tyler.

 _ **Tyler: We need to talk! And quick!**_

I had been cringing in anticipation since my last conversations did not seem to be going as well as I hoped before giving Jenna an almost beseeching look. I showed her my phone in false evidence before informing her that Felix was waiting for me. The redhead stared at me for a long time in silence before shaking her head in defeat. A wide smile appeared on my lips knowing that I had at least win this battle and I did not wait a minute more to go outside.

I climbed quickly behind the wheel before putting the contact clearly not reached for the dynamiting music through the cockpit before getting out of the driveway. I drove all the way with the misty question spirit to the Fell mansion before finally parking in front of their maintained driveway.

I suspected that Felix's parents had left since he had not spoken to them since the famous news and I tried as best I could to remain calm despite my troubled thoughts. It seems that I have been unable to contain myself since my moment with Katherine. I had to give it to her, she knew how to leave an impression on people. A bad impression but still an impression.

The sound of a door slam called to me and I bit nervously on my lower lip as Felix made his way through his driveway before settling into the passenger seat.

"Are we really obliged to go?" Grumbled the brown under his breath making me look at him carefully. "After all, I'm not really a Fell."

Since I knew the curse of his family, I had not stopped watching the changes in my only friend and I could not help but become more and more worried. If Tyler's spoiled boyish attitude could easily pass for him, that would not be the case with Felix and it was precisely that which put me on the path to his possible mark. He was one of them, whether I like it or not.

Now, it was enough for me to really know what triggered the curse and maybe I could prevent a sad fate for my best friend.

"You're a Fell." I said as I started the engine, almost instantly igniting a cold, deadly glare so contrary to the boy. However, I was not going to let myself down. '' Felix, you're a Fell.''

"It doesn't matter!" The crimson-haired boy whispered before crossing his lean, slender arms to his chest as he turned toward the transient window indicating that our conversation was over.

Well, I assumed that his mood swings would be the ones I would be dealing with now.

* * *

The whole trip was in a heavy, heavy silence, letting me once again think of the last rebound that made up my life, and I could already feel the questions assailing me for probably the hundredth time today.

What was I? Or rather, who was I? Why did someone take the time to erase their tracks? So many questions that remained until now unanswered.

I finally ended up arriving at the Mystic Falls Public Park and drove through the crowds of people before finally finding a place for free. I parked myself carefully before unfastening my seatbelt, glancing at Felix just to sigh wearily, as the latter unfastened his belt just before going down without even saying a word to me.

I shook my head tiredly before opening my door to go down and was about to close it when someone stopped me in my action. I watched Stefan and Mason close to me with attention and noticed the vampire standing on Mason making me instantly frown. From where I stood, it looked like a sort of verbal clash and I did not like it in the slightest. But what was Stefan doing? Duty to control his psychopath brother was already a hell daily so if he got into it too.

However, their little confrontation did not seem to stop there. I noticed Stefan reaching for his hand in anticipation of a handshake and taking a deep breath as Mason shook his hand in turn telling me that everything was going wrong. I was looking for Felix over my hood just to see him sink into the crowd letting me focus my attention on the other two just to see now Mason make his way away from the Cadet Salvatore. I contracted my jaw already tired of this damn day before walking with a determined step towards Stefan.

"Can I know what you're doing?" I chuckled coldly, instantly calling the vampire's attention as he turned to stare at me with a guilty but still firm expression.

"I'm trying to fix Damon's mistakes." The vampire said, making me look at him in pure disbelief.

I immediately pinched the bridge of my nose regretting the times when everything was much simpler between Stefan and me before turning my attention to him. "It's no longer a game that can be repaired, Stefan. The situation is serious and this is not the time to get more enemies."

The vampire immediately frowned at my grave undertone and watched me more closely."Mila, where are you the other day?"

I quickly looked away at this new inquisition before creasing my lips in annoyance.

"Yeah, Mila, where were you, huh?" Suddenly came a voice all too familiar and I jumped in surprise before standing with Stefan to glare at the psychopath who turned to his turn brother."What are you doing here?

"A peace negotiation in your name." Stefan immediately replied, making me stare at him in disbelief and frustration.

It was not worth it. And even less with Damon. And if I believed his expression, I was right. Again.

"But I don't want peace." The vampire moaned reminding me of a whiny little child and I crossed my arms over my chest to keep me from hitting him.

He was the biggest idiot and we were all going to die.

"Oh, I did it out of solidarity." Stefan replied as he returned to his game, letting me shake my tired head again.

I took a step back and raised my hands as a sign of abandonment. '' You know what? Do what you want. I have much more important problems to deal with."

I could easily feel the frowns of the two vampires on my back as I turned back towards the crowd and searched for one of the Lockwood boys.

However, the vibration in my jeans reminded me again of order and I paused in my step to pick up my phone just to grin at the sight of Tyler's ID.

This time, I could not avoid him anymore. Especially since I needed him.

I watched carefully around me in a spirit of conservation before finally getting away from the crowd to answer the phone.

Only I did not even have time to talk about Tyler getting in front of me. "Where are you, Mila? We need to talk! I'm completely panicked there! You don't even imagine what's going on for me and I need to talk to someone who will not think I'm crazy. "

''Whoa, whoa, calm down, Tyler! "I spoke quickly, hoping to calm his almost inaudible rant."First, tell me, where are you?"

"I'm at the Grill. Your brother is here too."He explained, letting me pause at Jeremy's mention. A look of realization fell on my face and I stomped my heel into the ground cursing aloud. "Mila? You're still here?''

I nodded despite my obvious annoyance and picked up the thread of the conversation. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Tell me, does Jeremy give you strange looks? Like he's watching you?"

There was a silence on the other end of the line before I could vaguely hear Tyler move under the thunderous music of the Grill. "No, he's doing his homework. Well, I think. Mila, why would your brother be watching me?"

I thumped my tongue against my palate in annoyance before biting on my bottom lip, looking for a random spot in front of me. "Nothing. Forget that I said that. I'm at the inauguration right now but I'll find you as soon as I'm sure of something, okay? "

"The inauguration?" Exclaimed Tyler, suddenly looking nervous. "Mason is there too. Mila, you don't have to get close to him, okay?"

''What is ... why, Tyler? ''

''Just do what I tell you, okay! '' The boy barked in a hasty act making me wince.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration before turning to look for our topic of conversation in question.

I was not long in locating him with anyone other than Sheriff Forbes, and I frowned, murmuring in total disbelief."It's a freaking nightmare."

''Mila? What's going on? "Tyler immediately worried and I quickly picked up the thread, hurry to leave now.

"Listen, I'll join you later." I ignored Tyler's calls as I hung up quickly before finally pocketing my phone in my jeans pocket while accelerating the pace in the direction of the two protagonists in the center of my warning.

I passed among the crowds of passersby trying to be as discreet as possible before finally hiding behind the wooden bars lining the platform where the sheriff and Mason were. I was far too far to hear them but I could still see and the objects of their attentions did not inspire me anything that is worth it. I narrowed my lips feeling clearly helpless before suddenly remembering Felix. I had to find him.

I immediately turned around, my little episode of snooping already long forgotten as I was looking among the horde for passing a familiar brown head.

A pretend girl from our school passed by me and I was eager to catch her by the arm, surprising her by my vivacity. "Hey-"

''Have you seen Felix? Felix Fell? "I hastened to interrupt her clearly worried now.

He was in one of his phases and it was not the moment to lose a possible - _wanna be Werewolf_. Especially when I still did not know what was the trigger for the curse.

This secret was seriously beginning to weigh me down.

''Who? '' Grinned the blonde condescendingly before pushing me away.'' Let me go, freak.''

I contracted my jaw throwing the blonde wrist back in exasperation before throwing my head back. I bounced on my heels before I went again in search of Felix. I climbed onto the toe of my feet trying to spot a familiar head when suddenly I saw Elena and Stefan.

Honestly, I did not care if I imposed myself in a delicate moment. All that mattered to me was Felix at this point.

"Hey, did any of you see Felix?" I asked, almost breathless. I could easily feel a drop of sweat running down my neck and the mere idea of condemning Felix because of my oversight was enough to make me ballistic.

"Mila, this is not the moment. I-''

"I don't fucking care that you are in a long and sweet conversation. Or that you're arguing! "I exploded as I surprised the duo as I let my bottled emotions take over." I want to know if any of you are see Felix?"

Stefan straightened looking alert now at my frantic tone and frowned thickly."Mila, something is wrong?"

"Argh, I don't believe it! You're all useless!" I grumbled at the loss of time before turning on my heels, leaving two pairs of eyes watching me disappear into pure frustration.

I was melting again through the crowd clearly exasperated and worried now. If Felix had disappeared then things were much worse than I imagined. With all the creatures lurking in the center of Mystic Falls, anything could happen. Anything!

I felt my chest become more and more oppressed at the mere thought of all the possibilities of fate that Felix was incurring at this moment and I had to stop soon to stand with the help of a tree. I resumed slow and deep breaths knowing that this was really not the time to undergo one of my fucking panic attacks. I contracted my jaw in determination, clearly stubborn at the thought of letting my seizure go away no matter what and took off one of my trembling hands off the tree to reach my cell phone.

My vision soon became scrambled like a heap of tears lodged in the corner of my eyes as my breaths became more and more painful and I was staggering back to the tree, letting my phone slip of my hands.

"Me-shit!" I inhaled in wheezing as I suddenly closed my eyes trying to count my breaths in my head before focusing on my heartbeat.

I could hear everything around me but the noises were soon fading to give way to the jerky sound of my heartbeat. I knew I was wasting a lot of time right now, and I could never get back up there if something happened to Felix because of me.

I had to find him.

With that idea in mind, I suddenly reopened my tear-stained eyes, letting the sounds come back slowly into my head before fumbling at the leaf floor in search of my phone. The sensation of a smooth surface against my fingers was quick to call me and I tightened my grip on the object before bringing it close to my face trembling. I took a fresh breath before quickly dialing Felix's number, however, I did not even have time to bring my phone to my ear when a hand stopped me abruptly.

''Mila? Mila, can you hear me? "I felt a pair of strong hands take my face in a firm grip and soon a familiar face appeared through my tears.

"Mason?" I croaked in a weak voice, alerting the werewolf immediately.

"Shit, Mila!" The tall brown hissed.

I felt his hands quickly leave my face, letting my head fall back into a loss of consciousness and I was not long in completely closing my eyes. I was still fully aware of the sounds around me but I was simply unable to open my eyelids. It was as if I was present but my body was simply not responding to my brain anymore.

I had never experienced such a crisis before.

"Sorry, Mila but it's going to hurt."

All of a sudden, I felt a warm heat along my bare arm sending me in a burst of lucidity. I flicked my eyelids open in a stupefied state before immediately lowering my eyes to my now painful arm like hell just to open my eyes at the sight of a third-degree burn.

A hand suddenly grabbed my chin forcing me to look at my interlocutor simply to fight at the sight of Mason. '' Mila, calm down, it's me! It's me, Mason!''

"You slap me!" I was clearly panicked now since I remembered Tyler's firm warning. Something was wrong with Mason.

However, he soon pulled me into a standing position against my will, immediately making me look at him in mistrust. "Let me go, Mason!"

"Sorry, little Gilbert, but I don't think so." Defended the werewolf, suddenly surveying the surroundings, letting me think that everything that was going to follow didn't bode well for me.''You come with me."

I was trying to fight against him if I was fully aware that I had no chance. "But what are you doing? Mason, let me go! You hurt me!''

The big brown topped dead in his tracks before turning around, pulling me sharply against his chest and talking to me in a low voice."We're going to avoid pretending you don't know what's going on, okay? Now it's either me or your vampire boyfriends, Mila!''

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I exclaimed clearly not intimidated by his threat. After all that I had already undergone, that of Mason was at the bottom of the long waiting list.'' They are two and you are all alone! Not to mention that you can't do anything without the full moon."

Only, to my great surprise Mason let out a slight hoarse laugh, worrying me more at this point as he pulled me back with him toward the forest. "Mila, Mila, Mila. Who said I was going to do anything?"

I instantly frowned in total perplexity and let myself drag in spite of myself. I was still tired of my previous gray and trudging through the woods was not really what I had in mind when coming to this stupid inauguration. Especially since I still did not know where Felix was currently. But as unfortunate as this thought was, I had to save my skin first. I certainly could not help Felix if I stayed there. And as much as I wanted to confide a certain faith in Mason, the last months had taught me the hard way that our expectations were not all the time rewarded.

"Why are you doing all this?" I finally said, following the miserable werewolf before amplifying my frown on the big brown guy's back."Why did you come back to the town, Mason?"

"I don't think you're in a position to ask questions, Mila." He objected, keeping me from walking actively, letting me look at him in utter exasperation.

This time, I really had enough.

Above all, I hated being tossed around like a kind of travel bag and even more so now. I had neither the time nor the desire for all that.

I was making a sudden stop clearly over now and the werewolf stopped short before turning abruptly to me. "Yeah well, I don't care! I want answers. And I want them now!''

Mason suddenly bridged the gap between us making me almost fall back in surprise before widening my eyes as he grabbed my forearm to hold me close to him.

I raised my bluish orbs in his own, losing me unconsciously in the intensity of his gaze."Listen carefully to me, Mila. I don't want to hurt you. Neither you nor Tyler but certain things must be done."

''What things? What are you talking about?"I panicked quickly, shaking my head briefly in confusion and worry. I did not like one second of what I had just heard. '' Mason, talk to me! We have been friends once."

The werewolf seemed to be stiffening as if he were suddenly on the lookout for something and I could feel the adrenaline running abruptly through my veins as he dropped his bluish eyes on me. "I know. It's so that I hope you will forgive me for what I am about to do."

''What ... haaaaaaaa!'' I let out a cry as he suddenly blocked me back to his broad chest built just like a sound of noise could be heard from the bushes.'' Mason! Mason, what are you doing? "

''Release her! Now!"Stefan's familiar voice quickly reached my ears just as Damon came out of the other side of Mason, circling us.

"Don't look so surprised, you knew it was inevitable." Damon said, forcing me to force Mason out of the way to meet the vampire's disdainful and threatening gaze. "I give you a little advance.''

"Your fucking hostage? I'm a bloody hostage?"I realized exasperated now before suddenly being thrown to the ground just as the detonation of a shot could be heard."Stefan! ''

I was looking everywhere for the vampire simply to widen my eyes to the agreement of a body falling abruptly to the ground. I turned my head in the direction of Damon just to see him on the ground before I heard several more shots. I called again for Stefan as the sound of his moans could be heard before fighting against Mason to get out of his grip. I took a good shot to free myself and gasped sharply at the sight of Stefan's bloody chest lying on the ground. I rushed in his direction forgetting all our problems at this point but I had not even stepped that I was suddenly held back.

''No, let go of me, let me !"I cried, struggling against Mason's embrace just to freeze at the sight of the Sheriff and two deputies making their way in our direction." Sh-Sheriff Forbes?"

The blonde totally ignored me as she thanked Mason for his collaboration before pushing a needle of what I supposed was filled with vervain in Stefan's chest before moving on to Damon.

''No, don't do that!"I tried to alert them only Liz just gave me a dirty glare before pushing the needle into the back of the raven-haired vampire, knocking him out instantly. At this point, I was fighting tears against Mason still holding me back with a tight grip.''You don't have the right! It's going to hurts them!''

"They're monsters, Mila!" Mason hissed in my ear making me jerk my jaw into indignation now before violently throwing my head back hitting him with all my might.

He let go of his tight grip on my arms and I took advantage of his pain to make a quick race out of here. I could hear the sheriff screaming after me to come back but I kept running without ever stopping. And even when I crossed the park to reach my car. I had unfortunately left my phone where I had fallen before and was unable to return to the same place. The last events had been enough to shake me up enough. I climbed quickly inside the cabin before buckling my belt. Then, the pressure suddenly seemed to freeze me on the spot making me really realize what was happening.

I had to go beyond them. But how? I could not do it on my own and was unable to reach anyone. Unless I go to Tyler's house. No, he could not know about vampires yet. He had just learned that he was a werewolf. It was still too cool for him.

"But then what!" I exploded, violently slamming the center of my steering wheel with my fist.

I could not stay here.

On an impulse, I unlocked my seatbelt again and exploded outside my SUV. I shook my head at the mere thought of how much of it was suicide before I started running again. I did not know where they could take them but I had to try.

I ran back through the woods running as fast as my legs could carry me and ignored the foliage whipping my face violently. I was aware that a slight gash had formed on my forehead just as some of my hair had clung to branches during my ascent but I could not care less.

It was Damon and Stefan. They may have been scourges in my present life, but they were my plagues. My problems to manage and nobody else would act for me. If someone were to kill Damon, it would be me. As for Stefan, our links were not very close now, but I was certainly not going to abandon him. Not until I had the opportunity to find our famous friendship.

Suddenly, I hit a full body, instantly sending me to the ground, and I quickly sat up in panic just to look for my assailant's eyes at the familiar Caroline voice."Mila? But what are you doing here? "

I widened my eyes in the most complete relief before resuming my breathing in a high state."Damon ... Stefan ... and then, Mason ... and your mother, she ... she's going ..."

"Mila, what's going on?" Elena intervened abruptly beside the blonde making me glare at her before turning back to Caroline in disarray.

I took a deep breath before releasing the inevitable in one go."She's going to kill them."

"Oh my god!" Hailed Elena immediately panicked making me roll my eyes despite my breathlessness state before I looked impatiently at Caroline.

The blonde seemed to seize my impatience as she suddenly took my arm before starting in a race dragging Elena and me in its wake.

I was noticing the old ruins of Lockwood Estate leaving me all the more worried and Elena stopped abruptly at the top of a staircase before turning to Caroline.'' Do you hear them? ''

I looked at the expectant blonde as she pushed her blond curls behind her ears before concentrating simply to leave a look of pure horror on her face. Elena hastened to ask what was happening and I soon rolled my eyes as Caroline told her what I had already said. Her mother was going to kill them. I shook my head tired of this unnecessary loss of time before I went forward openly ignoring the calls of the two girls. I hurried down the stone steps, letting myself be guided by the adrenaline pumping through my veins at this point before pushing the heavy wrought iron door.

It was completely crazy. I could not get a moment of respite for once?

I passed through the light door just to come face to face with one of the deputies making me widen my eyes as he grabbed me suddenly by the arms to push me in the cellar.

''No, no, but let me go! You, son of-'' I cut myself at the sight of a Stefan still unconscious on the dusty ground beside a Damon barely more awake.''... What did you do to them? ''

"That should have been done a long time ago." Liz replied dryly, causing me to throw a glare at her as the deputy now held me in a vice.

The woman shook her head in pure disappointment before looking at me carefully. '' Your parents ... ''

"I forbid you!" I hissed between my teeth before looking up to look over the deputy' shoulder as a new sound was heard.

Liz sent her other deputy to check what was going on and a few seconds later, Elena soon emerged from the entrance leaving Liz looking between my sister and me in the realization. Only she did not have time to say anything else as the door was suddenly flank shut and I was soon pushed forward as the two deputy and the sheriff began to point their weapons anywhere in the panic.

"Who else is with you?" Liz panicked before her eyes widened at the same time as Elena and I, as one of the deputy was suddenly attacked by a blonde curl.

I was quick to connect two and two and watched the blonde use the first body now dead to protect herself from the bullets before moving quickly to the second deputy as if he were a simple porcelain doll. Caroline ended her attack by taking refuge in a corner of the cellar, letting us look at her with astonishment as she still seemed fully under the influence of human blood. If Stefan was scary under the effect of drug addict, Caroline definitely had nothing to envy him.

Finally, I watched as Liz gaped at the sight of her daughter advancing in the daylight with her bloody mouth before slowly resuming her human face. "Hi, Mom."

* * *

After that, things did not take long to catch on. Liz remained prostrate in a corner while Caroline stood as far as possible from the latter while Damon drank on one of the bodies, unlike Stefan who was slowly regaining strength with Elena. As for me, I tried to stay as far as possible from all that. In fact, to be honest, this was the last thing on my mind.

I decided to take advantage of the distraction of everyone to get up suddenly before dusting the dirt of my jeans while walking directly to the exit. Unfortunately, Caroline was in front of it and I grimaced once I saw her downcast. I knew I should be worried about her right now, but I still had Felix in my mind. I had neglected the boy a lot for them lately and I could not let him down again.

I did not know the little argument that was going on between Demon, Elena and Stefan as I was just focusing on Caroline when suddenly the blonde lifted her head to support the point of the annoying vampire."Yes, what Damon is saying is true. Today it's necessary, it is the moment to put you there."

"He said he was refusing, it's clear?" Elena suddenly slapped sharply, sending me a flash.

No matter what happened with Caroline it did not give her the right to take advantage of such a moment to show again how she was a little bitch. I shook my head and put a hand on Caroline's shoulder, suddenly causing her mother's slight jolt to make me look at her at the same time as her daughter before Damon suddenly stood up with a limp.

"It's really an unfortunate situation." The vampire declared, obviously not losing his cynicism in any of the circumstances before turning to Caroline's mother, making me squirm in suspicion. " Two deputies who are dead and we have you. What am I going to do with you, huh?"

He held Liz's gaze coldly, feeling a little more disgusting about his behavior, and I was not long in pulling Caroline back to Liz's side as Caroline tried to make eye contact with her mother. "You're going tell nobody, huh? "

I noticed that Liz barely seemed to be able to look at her daughter's eyes, breaking my heart a little more since I knew that Caroline's mother / daughter relationship was not the best.

"Sheriff Forbes." I tried, taking a look at the woman before she looked away again, letting me make contact with Caroline, who panicked slightly at Damon's sight.

''Mum?"Called the blonde pleadingly before sobbing at the woman's lack of answers." Mom? Please, answer me! I know we don't get along well, I know you hedge me but I'm still your daughter and you must do it, you must do it for me. Mom please, otherwise it's Damon who will kill you."

I could see the tears in the Sheriff's eyes making me squirm to contain the emotion just as Damon nodded, supporting Liz's gaze. Only, I certainly did not expect the Sheriff's next request. "So, kill me!"

''No! '' I exclaimed as Caroline backing up Damon's gaze.

"It's too hard all that. Kill me right away."Ask the Sheriff just as Caroline got up as Damon began to approach the woman, taking me one step forward to face the vampire.

"Damon!" I called firmly, forcing the vampire to lower his eyes to me instead of the Sheriff."If you ever do that ..."

"So what, huh?" He replied dryly making me press my fists under pressure before he looked back at the sheriff over my shoulder. "She was the one who wanted me to endure the worst suffering.''

I did not even have time to do anything else as he suddenly pulled me off the way as he grabbed Caroline's mother violently. The latter screamed to spare her while Elena and Stefan joined the blonde to prevent him from doing the irreparable.

"I beg you, leave her." Elena cried, finally arousing a reaction from the vampire as he gave her an annoyed look over his shoulder.

"And oh, we calm down there."He whispered sarcastically before he changed his gaze to me to support my gaze intently."I'm fine, I'm going to kill no one."

I looked at him with skepticism as he turned to Liz again, claiming that she was his friend before declaring that it was better to clean up all this mess, leaving me staring at him in utter perplexity. I shook my head, helping me up from the ground and straightening up before sweeping away the ubiquitous dirt in my clothes.

* * *

Things were confusing for me after that but one thing is sure, Damon and the others had taken over Liz's case. I did not really know what they were going to do but right now it was the last of my worries.

I stopped in front of the famous Fell house, sincerely hoping that I would find Felix before shutting down the engine. I took a long breath before unbuckling my belt in a burst of courage. I was getting off my SUV looking around since the night had fallen on Mystic Falls before crossing the driveway anxiously. I stopped suddenly in front of the door of the residence and raised my hand with the intention of knocking.

However, for some reason, I was unable to do it. After all that had happened today, after the way a new person had used me again, I did not particularly want to team up with anyone. In fact, if I wanted something, it was to listen to Katherine. The vampire was right on one point, as much as I did not want to admit, we had points in common. We were both obstinate but if there was something I would never be, it was a selfish person. And to involve Felix in my life was a selfish act.

What he needed now was a way to keep him as far away as possible from this world. In other words, as far as possible from his wolf side. I lowered my fist to my side, releasing a deep, tired sigh before descending the steps of the porch backwards. I looked up for a brief moment hoping to see a glimpse of my best friend only, only the light in his room seemed lit. Telling me that this was probably the only confirmation of his healthy condition but I could get used to it.


	29. Chapter 29 : Power over me

**Chapter twenty-night : Power over me**

After my decision to stay as far away from Felix as possible, I knew I had to put an action plan in place. And I was already beginning to dread my own thoughts.

I lowered my viewfinder down my side with a deep sigh before taking a careful look around me. I was not about to be had like the last time and I had fully decided to defend myself on my own. I was tired of being the little Mila that the vampires or any other being supernatural who liked to take in hostage.

I was not weak and I was sure to let them know. So that's why I had my bow again. I had also searched my father's old business despite my deep sorrow. All that to be able to apprehend the next part of my plan. If I wanted to play in an equal foot with the vampires then I had to make myself strong.

I had started with simple jogging, then had accumulated archery sessions and finally, I was inspired by the few darts of Alaric for myself. It may have been completely unrealistic to want to try my luck against a multitude of vampires, all more demonic than the others, but I was apparently a member of the supernatural community. I did not know what or who but I was going to find out who I was, and once I had all the cards in hand, I would put my plan into action. Which began to find Katherine, no matter where she was hiding.

So with this idea in mind, I put my belongings in my gym bag lying on the earthy floor of the forest before slinging it on my shoulder. I ventured confidently through the woods, glancing constantly at my guards. Thanks to Damon Salvatore for making me paranoid and soon locate my SUV. I drove all the way back home uncomfortably gesturing on my seat to the accumulation of sweat in my clothes before parking in our driveway in relief.

I had not heard from Felix, let alone from Tyler. I did not know what was going on with these two but I was hoping that if they did not call me then it was because they were safe. At least, for the moment.

I had looped my afternoon with Katherine and something told me that our recent find on werewolves did not add up. It must have been bound to the older vampire. In other words, we were in bigger problems than I imagined.

I passed the door openly ignoring Elena's descent across the stairs and grazed her before climbing in my turn. I could easily feel her sparkling brown eyes traveling between my huge gym bag and my back but I was just speeding up and down the stairs before I stepped into our hallway passing Jeremy without even a look. The latter tried to interrupt me but I huddled into my room before running to my closet to hide my bag. It was not the moment for Elena or anyone to get a glimpse into my personal artillery. Not to mention that she would all tell Stefan and I was certainly not ready to face the vampire. Not when he could so easily read through me.

Once I was sure that my stack of old cartons was protecting my bag in plain sight, I began to undress while heading to the shared bathroom and let the water flow while waiting to finish.  
I stopped for a moment in front of our mirror, tying my long curls in a loose bun before releasing a deep breath.  
Who am I trying to deceive? I was barely able to shoot a good punch for a human being, so a vampire? It was hardly lost.

I shook my head quickly before quickly entering the water in a desperate need to release all this accumulated pressure.  
I spent a special time washing off all the dirt and sweat particles from my body before finally wrapping a fluffy white towel around my body under construction. I took off my long curls in my back before tightening my towel while returning to my room just to make a sudden stop at the sight of my twin brother sitting on my bed.

"How did you come in?" I exclaimed in shock and surprise before glancing nervously at my closet still closed.

''How did I get in? Is that all? "Repeated my brother looking suspicious for some reason before suddenly blowing a breath as he hastened to close the door to my room before turning to me in the commotion. ''I have to talk to you about something. But you must promise to stay calm and don't stop me, all right?"

I immediately frowned in suspicion before giving a flat and bored look at my towel still around my wet body to show my point.'' We really must do this now?''

"It's important, Mila!" Jeremy jerked at once clearly impatient and I rolled my eyes open before finally resolving myself awkwardly settling on the edge of my bed, surprising my twin by my resilience. "Wait, that it? You going to listen to me?''

'' Jer! ''

"Okay, alright, fine!" He hastily resumed in a hurry before taking a seat by my side. "I spoke with Tyler. I know, you had forbidden me to approach him but you must hear what I learned first. Tyler must kill someone to trigger the curse."

I remained frozen for a moment, clearly speechless before focusing my attention on my twin. I certainly did not expect that but thinking about it was obvious. Lycanthropy was a curse and if it did not really stick with the faithful bite of a full moon night, it was just as bad as, if not more than, fiction. But how could a person as sweet, funny and nice as Felix end up killing someone? It was beyond me, how was I supposed to prevent him from doing such an act? Since when was my life reduced to death and grief?

I stood up in my train of thought, leaving Jer staring at me in utter bewilderment before turning to him, alarmed."What else do you know?"

"Mason, he's looking for a stone. A moonstone. "Jeremy informed me again, letting me magnify my frown in the reflection.

"What is it for?" I asked in apprehension as I reported my bluish orb to my twin.

"It's directly related to the legend of the werewolves."

It made me look less directly at my twin in pure reflection. "And it was Tyler who told you all that?"

"Yes."My twin nodded before narrowing his lips making me frown on him in suspicion.

''Jer ... ''

"Sarah fell down the stairs."Jer dropped roughly, making my eyes widen in horror, automatically jumping to the most horrible conclusion.  
Jeremy seemed to realize this and stood up suddenly, raising his hands in front of him to try to reassure me. "She's fine. I swear she's fine but after that, Tyler was completely freaked out and he told me how close you two were."

I gauged my twin brother in mistrust since his last sentence left a hint and he was quick to demand answers. "Why didn't you tell us anything? You knew what he was. You knew he needed a trigger."

''I didn't know what it was.'' I defended at once, taking a sharp look at Jeremy.

I sighed heavily at this before tightening my towel near my body feeling a slight chill before sitting down next to Jer. The latter hastened to grab my hand to shake it in his own and I stared at our bound hands a long time before placing my head on his built shoulder.

These simple peaceful moments I missed terribly. I would like things to be as before. When our parents were still alive and when we knew nothing about the supernatural. It was certainly the best years of my life. Now, now, all were questions of subterfuges and life and death.

Now everything was ephemeral.

That was why we could not dwell on little moments like this anymore. By as a war zone was set up outside. I abruptly untied my hand from Jeremy's, calling out to him before heading without a word towards my dresser.

I pulled the first drawer open and searched through while addressing my twin in a cold, unmoved tone."Who else did you talk to?"

"Uh ... no one else."Jeremy clearly resumed with my change of attitude. "Mila, what's happening to you? First, the disappearances, then the intensive training and now the detached behavior.''

I paused in my research, feeling terribly sorry for my brother before looking at a fixed point over my shoulder. "When you have the advantage, you can't say it on every rooftop."

I was hoping this was enough to make Jeremy understand my idea as I supported his confused look before grabbing random clothes before locking myself in the bathroom. I now had information that the others did not have and the information I also had at Katherine was enough to give me an overview. I still had to find the vampire.

I changed quickly without really bothering to check my appearance before going back to my empty room. I wrinkled my lips in guilt for a brief moment before remembering that it was necessary. I walked to my desk and pulled out the first drawer looking for my phone just to pause at the sight of my registration form. My urge to leave was still strong, if not more eager now, but I had to deal with all these pest problems first.

Despite all, I could never go on with my life if I knew that the vampires had suddenly taken control of Mystic Falls. It was where I grew up and where I had most of my memories with my family together. I could not give it up. Neither now, nor ever. So with a deep, heavy sigh, I grabbed my phone and pushed the drawer closed before grabbing my leather jacket.

I looked at my closet on my way to my door before quickly closing behind me as Aunt Jenna emerged into our parents' room.

"Hey, Mil." She noticed my outfit and frowned slightly in questioning."You're going somewhere?"

"Yeah, uh ... I need to go to the library ..." I looked up at the ceiling looking for a credible lie and tried as best I could to control my nervous tick.''... for an essay. Yeah, an essay. ''

"An essay?'' She asked dubitatively before crossing her arms over her chest with a raised eyebrow. What classes?"

I restrained myself from grimacing at her investigation and narrowed my lips as I crossed my fingers behind my back."Uh ... literature. Yeah, literature. You know ... Shakespeare and all that. So ... I have to go. Bye, Aunt Jenna. "

"Huh-"

I did not wait for her to finish as I abruptly descended the stairs by pulling on my leather jacket before pulling the open front door to cross the porch. I drove straight for my car before looking immediately into my glove box for a map hotel and breakfast points of the city.

* * *

 _ **Alaric POV**_

He entered the Salvatore mansion now familiar with an Isobel search box just to pause at Jeremy's sight. " What are you doing here?"

"I'm helping Damon. I told him about the moonstone.'' Jeremy immediately resumed crossing his arms while Alaric immediately set his box down, giving him a disapproving look.

"Elena knows you're here?'' He asked in Damon's direction, receiving a grimace from the latter, evoking an expression of Alaric's disapproval. "And Mila? "

Jeremy paused at Mila's mention as did Damon, who looked at him expectantly before frowning at the suspicious brown. "Now, why are you silent?"

"I-uh ... Mila is acting oddly lately.'' He confessed, letting the two men share a long-intrigued look. "She ... well, she already knew that Tyler was a werewolf and that he had to trigger the curse. "

Damon immediately wrinkled his lips in annoyance before signing Rick with his empty glass of Whiskey. "I knew this little brat was hiding something."

"That's not all.'' Jeremy intervened, alerting the two men more. "She has become super weird. Like ... in war mode. She trains every morning. And when I told her about the moonstone, she told me I had to talk about it to no one else. That advantage was the key against the enemy or something like that."

"Where is Mila now?'' Alaric asked at once in a bad feeling.

Jeremy narrowed his lips again before looking in between the two man, shrugging his shoulders in ignorance.

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

It was the sixth guest house I was visiting. Honestly, I was seriously beginning to despair. I let a long sigh as I cut the engine by staring at the large old building before biting the inside of my cheek in uncertainty. I knew that going after Katherine was not my smartest plan but I needed an answer. I had to figure out how to protect Felix and Tyler from this damn world.

With this idea in mind, I opened the door of my SUV before going down by leaning on my seat. As for the last six houses, I retrieved a stake from my passenger seat and hid it in the waistband of my pants before slamming the door.

I turned my attention to the front of the big building before releasing a heavy breath. I chewed the inside of my cheek in anticipation before accelerating the pace towards the entrance of the big building. I pushed open the swinging door, looking around the wide, typical living room of a guest house, before spotting a woman behind a desk.

"Welcome. I'm Mrs. Flowers."Introduced the woman with a broad smile making me smile in my turn." What can I do for you?"

"In fact, I was hoping you could help me.'' I said, retrieving my phone from the pocket of my jeans before looking for a picture of Elena on the day of the founders."I'm looking for my sister. Maybe you saw her?"

I handed my phone to the woman before feeling a surge of hope at the sight of her broad smile." Oh yes. Miss. Pierce? She's renting a room here."

Personally, I found that much too easy. My intestines told me that a vampire the size of Katherine would have better protected her back but I could never really place the grounds of the brunette.

I picked up my phone before deciding to try my luck further."Can you tell me which room she lives in?"

"She has no problem, I hope?"

I immediately shook my head with a forced smile before thanking her as she told me her room number as well as the stairs. I turned at once releasing a weak inspiration before taking the stairs in the nervousness. I climbed up and left my hand on the ramp before stopping at the beginning of a long corridor flanked by doors. I would be arched my jaw bringing my hand to the stake in my pants belt before taking a step forward.

I felt my breath and my heart speeding up as I passed several rooms until I reached Katherine's. I was already preparing for everything that could happen behind this door and finally raised my fist to hit. I took a new inspiration in indecision before letting my body act on its own. I took a step back at once as the voice so similar to my sister sounded before displaying an expression annoyed at the sight of the vampire taking a break at my appearance.

"Well, well, well, if it's not a pleasant surprise. "

"Enough with the games, Katherine.'' I snapped between my teeth, giving an even wider smile to the brunette.

Her mischievous gaze descended to the stake in my hand before she raised her head pretentiously."I could consider sharing my plan with you."

"Yes?"

"If you leave this stake outside of course."

I narrowed my eyes on the brunette knowing she was lying before rolling my eyes as I handed her the stake in the surrender. The vampire seemed surprised at first but she soon replaced her expression with a broad smug smile as she took the stake opening me more the door.

I passed her by watching her movements carefully before crossing my arms over my chest while watching her room.

I immediately caught an eyebrow at the sight of the unmade bed before glancing at the vampire over my shoulder as she closed the door behind us."You will excuse me for the disorder. I had ... a guest. "

"Ew!'' I winced at her implication before immediately flipping back in impatience."Kay, I'm tired of it. I want to know. What do you plan to do with the moonstone and why Mason?"

Katherine stiffened at the importance of my knowledge before she began to advance dangerously on me. " What do you know?"

"A lot.'' I answered boldly, trying to contain my fear inside before biting a fiery return. "And I'd like to use it to make a deal. "

The vampire stopped in surprise before arching an eyebrow, straightening with interest. " A deal? With me?"

I nodded confidently, humming the beautiful brunette so much like my older sister. She circled me to take two glasses from a tray before serving one with a carafe leaving little to the imagination and another with wine almost as red as the blood in Katherine's glass.

"Where is the catch?'' She asked, handing me the glass of wine with a broad smile.

I went from the glass to her creepy expression before checking my jaw." I'm sixteen."

"If you want to do business, you have to behave as such."

I rolled my eyes knowing she would not drop and immediately took the glass around it."I need to know what you're cooking to help you. I want you out of the town as soon as possible."

"Hm ... you? You will help me?'' She asked a little suspicious even though the broad smile on her lips betrayed her excitement at the prospect. "Always altruistic to what I see. "

"I have people I want to protect. "

"Elena? Jeremy? Or Stefan?"

"None of the three.'' I replied, sharply intriguing the vampire as I took a sip of my glass grimacing at the sour taste."It's none of your business. "

"Well!'' She sighed dramatically before settling on the vanity seat."What tells me it's not a trap? "

"You are the one who told me to learn to watch for myself, right?'' I replied evasively before straightening my chin with attitude. "Make a deal with you, it's me acting for myself for the good of all."

Katherine gauged me with a wide, proud smile that made me want to vomit before she sipped on her glass of blood."And what are you going to do for your little friends? "

"I want you out of this city. That's all that matters to me."

"It could be dangerous for you. You will betray a lot of people.'' Katherine reminded me, letting me nod firmly to each of her tired statements."It'll probably have collateral damage. Maybe even wounded."

Finally, she stopped in front of me, letting me plunge my icy eyes into her brown dances with anticipation. "We have a deal? "

"I will enjoy every minute.'' Katherine immediately accepted with the biggest imaginable devil's smile.


	30. Chapter 30 : Ain't my fault

**Chapter Thirty : Ain't my Fault**

 _Dear Diary,_

 _I knew what I was getting into when I made this deal with Katherine. This bitch was evil incarnate. And I already regretted most of my actions during the last two days.  
However, I already knew that I had saved the life of one of my friends, Matt.  
_

I rested my pen on the bottom of my notebook as I thought back to my last moments with the vampire.

 _"Why not him?" Katherine asked impatiently between her teeth."I need a werewolf."_

 _"If Tyler ever kills Matt then he'll be upset all his life. Do you really want me to reveal your plan to others?"  
_

 _I supposed that was my first mistake as I was suddenly grabbed by the throat before being pressed against the wall of the brunette's room. I stared at the feeling of her hand pressing my trachea before seeing the dark veins under her eyes. I repressed my instinct of fear and clenched my jaw as I defiantly supported her gaze._

 _It immediately stoked an evil smile on the vampire's lips as she released her grip on my throat allowing me to breathe before taking a step back."I must admit that you're surprising. Especially with Jenna being in the hospital."  
_

 _"Don't!" I snapped, pointing at her already feeling remorseful for what I had let her do.  
_

 _Katherine let out a high laugh in jubilation before letting herself fall back onto her bed by crossing her ankles covered in designer heeled ankle boots." Well, if we can't use the nice little Matt, who in this case?"  
_

 _I stared at her with all possible hate before leaving a tired little sigh. "Tyler is volatile. Just hypnotize someone to provoke him."  
_

 _"You know ... you never really told me who you were trying to protect." Katherine suddenly made me cringe at her insightful mind. "At first, I thought it was the wolf, but it's clear that no. So, who?"  
_

 _"Why do you need a moonstone and a werewolf again?" I retorted at once defying the brunette as she left an impressed smile.  
_

 _"Point taken." She accepted with mischief as she raised her hands in false surrender before getting up to fire me."You should go to the hospital. Little Elena will worry if you don't go see Aunt Jenna. "  
_

 _I felt a new wave of guilt at the mere thought before chewing the inside of my cheek while lowering my eyes to the ground. "I can't go see her. "  
_

 _"Awww ... someone feel remorse?" Katherine immediately tugged at my jaw before pulling my jacket off the dragging chair in the corner. "Mila."  
_

 _I paused with my back facing her before feeling a chill down my back at her warning.  
_

 _"Don't betray me. "  
_

 _I held a grunt as I opened the door on the fly and slammed it behind me as I rushed down the stairs.  
_  
I was trying to get back to reality as I suddenly heard noises coming from the floor below making my lips cringe in guilt. I stood up immediately closing my notebook before hiding it quickly under my floorboards. I sat up, taking a long breath before slowly descending the stairs as I heard the voices of Elena, Jeremy and worse, Aunt Jenna.

I slowed down as I caught the conversation and bit the inside my cheek at Aunt Jenna's statement. "Oh yes! To have stuck a knife in the belly, there are few who do that."

"It was a horrible accident." Elena muttered knowingly as she helped our aunt on our couch soon supported by Jeremy." It's rare, but it happens."

"I too often throw myself on the knives at the restaurant." Matt teased laughing at Jenna soon followed by a painful whine amplifying my guilt.

I was honestly unable to face her after what I had done.

I shook my head trying to drown Jenna's voice before finally making the mistake of trying to escape the redhead in the kitchen. It seems that Jeremy and Elena had also taken refuge here and when they saw me, they were not slow to take a long pause in disbelief.

"Mila? Where were you these last few days?"

I immediately paused with my back to face them feeling the look of Jeremy on me."Mila, Jenna was stabbed by Katherine and you don't even go see her in the hospital. "

"She stabbed herself." I rectified in spite of myself, just turning around to groan internally at the expression of my brothers and sisters.

A new silence settled between us before my phone sounded in the back pocket of my jeans making me wince again knowingly.

"What?" I barked, snapping at the vampire under the scrutinizing eyes of my family.

"My witch has arrived. We expect more than you."

I held a grunt at her authoritarian attitude before sighing and rubbing my forehead. "I'm on my way."

I hung up quickly, just turning to stop at Elena's call. "Mila where are you going?"

"I have things to do. "

I pressed quickly without a last word and grabbed my jacket and keys before going out into the light of day.

* * *

"Why do you stray your hair?" Lucy, the faithful little witch asked Katherine's, before turn to me under my bored and excruciatingly annoyed eyes.

I certainly did not come here to watch her get ready, let alone serve as a little sister as she liked to call me. But still, I was obliged to stay here and look at her in a dreary silence while rehashing my remorse.

"I have to pretend to be my look-alike, the tasteless and deadly boring Elena, which tastes so bad." Katherine growled, narrowing my eyes on the envious bitch.

Lucy gave me a curious look as she watched me a little more closely before giving Katherine a look. "Except for the guys."

I let out a long moan, letting myself fall on the top of the vampire's bed before narrowing my eyes to the duet at the feeling of their eyes on me.

"Why she's here? She's not the little sister of the look-alike? "

"She's my precious little ally." Katherine answered giving me a proud smile making me raise my eyes to the ceiling as she turned to Lucy."She wants me out of her city. And she protects someone. Altruistic child."

Lucy gave me a new look shared between pity and uncertainty before shrugging her shoulders as she looked at herself in the mirror behind Katherine."It's very risky to pass for her in front of so many people who know her. "

"I've become pretty good at this game, and everyone will wear a mask then ..." Katherine answered confidently before giving me a wink over her shoulder. "Plus, people will have to believe me when they see me with her precious little sister."

I jumped to my feet with a wide look before shaking my head in disbelief. "Whoa, Whoa, what? "

"Fundraising for I don't know what more isn't for a good cause, Mila." Katherine teased, snapping my jaw shaking my head.

"Out of the question! It wasn't part of the plan. "

"Mila ... do you really think that Damon and Stefan are going to give me the moonstone nicely?" Asked the look-alike arching an eyebrow making me clench my fists at my side. "They will fight like madmen. "

* * *

 _ **Bonnie POV**_

She was actively walking alongside Stefan trying to reason with him."I know you love Elena, and you want to be with her, but it's too risky. There are far too many lives at stake."

She could not put all the people she loved back in jeopardy. It was her life and her friends that we talked about. And Katherine was a big opponent.

"I want to be with her, of course. But what worries me now is what Katherine dared to do to Jenna, because that's intolerable, and I can't let it pass." Supported Stefan stopping in front of the witch with determination.

Bonnie winced knowingly before sighing in the termination. "I understand, Stefan."

"Katherine, she knows me well, okay? And she knows I wouldn't have fun trying a dangerous thing in the crowd. And that gives me an asset. I will have her by surprise."

Bonnie gave a look at the rest of the small group still gathered around the table before abruptly frowning at the sight of a missing member. "Where's Mila?"

Stefan also paused at the mention of the youngest Gilbert before giving a look at the rest of the group seeming to have been cheering at the mention of Mila. Bonnie noticed most of them exchanging a look in the realization before they stopped on Jeremy.

The latter immediately raised his hands as a sign of surrender before displaying a worried expression. "I don't know what's going on with her. She didn't even go to see Jenna at the hospital. And she continues to disappear."

"And you only tell us now?" Bonnie exclaimed even more worried. "It's Mila we're talking about. If she disappears, she's preparing something."

Caroline frowned quickly at her witch friend before pointing out what Mila had done for her."She supported me and helped me with my transition. "

"Exactly. I hate to recognize it but Mila has decided to manage things by herself lately."Stefan intervened in disappointment and regret before giving Damon a sharp look."Maybe killing her twin brother was not the best plan to have her on our side, huh?"

Damon grimaced immediately before rolling his eyes over his younger brother, signing Jeremy."Oh, that's the model of virtue. Look, Indiana Jones is right here. Living and ready to help us."

"Okay, there's no point in worrying about Mila for now. We still have Katherine to manage."Alaric finally cut off, giving each of them an eager look before turning to Bonnie."So? A plan to neutralize Katherine? "

Bonnie hesitated for a moment, still worried about the youngest Gilbert before shrugging in uncertainty. "I could trap her with a curse spell, like in the crypt."

"Yeah. Here. She must be isolated, she must be prevented from doing harm. Do this for us."Stefan agreed immediately.

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

"Um, this dress is perfect." Katherine said, watching herself for over an hour in the mirror, letting me moan again behind my pillow.

This caused Lucy to burst out laughing and I hurriedly glare her in response. After spending the whole afternoon with the two supernatural beings, I could already say that I was ready to beg for my death. For a vampire with more years of life than I could ever have and an older witch that I or my entourage, I don't believe that I was still the most mature here.

Seriously, they were even worse than Elena and her friends. I hated that.

"Well, well, well, what are we going to do for you, little Mila?" Katherine suddenly said making me sit up in distrust.

I immediately squinted at her as I saw her eyes paralyzing me before crossing my arms over my chest."If you approach even a dress close to me, I'm going to stake you. "

"Hm, captivity makes her pretentious." Lucy commented condescendingly, immediately making me gasp in disbelief.

I stared at her immediately before snapping my jaw as Katherine took it upon herself to defend me. It was at this moment that I knew that the world had completely turned upside down to me.

"She's not captive. Mila is a friend." Answered the brunette looking more and more like my sister in this accoutrement. "An adorable, impertinent and sometimes unbearable little human sympathizer."

I shook my head before holding a sigh of relief as the ringing of my phone rang. I took it out of my pocket immediately under the watchful eyes of Katherine before biting my tongue at the sight of the identifier of Felix.

I noticed how tight Katherine had been in the last few minutes and immediately rolled my eyes as I straightened up for some privacy."Take it easy. I have no interest in breaking our agreement."

I disappeared as soon as I had the chance and answered the call immediately hoping to be as calm as possible. "Felix? Why are you calling me? "

"Wow and me who thought we were friends! "

I sighed immediately, pinching the bridge of my nose before shaking my head. " Exactly. It's because we're friends that you don't have to call me. "

"And you make perfect sense now." The brown said through the receiver, letting my eyes roll in nervousness. "I was just calling because I heard what happened to Jenna. "

Guilt just reassured me that it was not really the best place to talk about that. "Oh, uh ... yeah. She is fine. No need to worry. "

"No need to worry?" Repeated the brown making me realize that I had acted a little too detached depending on the problem. "Mila, are you sure you're fine? "

I wanted to answer only my phone was abruptly withdrawn from my hand leaving me to watch with horror as Katherine took the communication. "Hello? Who is speaking?"

I noticed Lucy appear behind me making me look between the two before grinding my teeth as Katherine gave me that scary smile.

"Really?" Replied the brunette in response to something Felix had told her before giving me an evil smile. " You know what? You should come to the masquerade tonight. As Mila's sister, I'm sure she would like you to be there."

I felt a new weight settle in my chest as I realized that the vampire had all the cards in hand before staying literally frozen in fear as she hung up to give me back my phone.

"So you do all this for one of the descendants of the founding families, huh?" Katherine asked suddenly, easily gathering two and two before suddenly taking a hold of my face with a sick smile."Why?"

I went out of my astonishment at her threatening aura and squeezed my lips as I looked at her scornfully."You can't compel me!"

"Who spoke of compulsion? We're friends, right?"

I was loath to touch her before shaking my head out of her grip as I slapped her hand away from my face. "I can't wait to see you out of this city, _Katerina_."

"Oh, back to the old names, I see?" Taunted Katherine while I returned to her suite to search through these horrible outfits."Well, Lucy? Time to do some magic."

I frowned at the suspicion before giving a suspicious glance at the vampire as she gave a vial of blood to the witch." What is that?"

"That, my dear Mila ... is a safeguard." Katherine proudly replied with a wide, devilish smile before giving me a wry look. "Benevolent gift of your dear sister."

I was immediately staring at Elena's mention before rushing forward to stop Lucy from doing anything." Stopped!"

The two women immediately turned to me, including a suspicious and bored Katherine while I kept my glare on the latter.

"What are you doing with Elena's blood?"

Katherine sighed in annoyance at the slight mishap before crossing her arms over her chest, surprising me with her resilience. That's how I realized how much I had done. If the vampire had no problem sharing that much with me, it meant that she did not really consider me a threat. That or she had planned to eliminate me even before I had the chance to speak.

"A backup is not supposed to be revealed."

"Give me Elena's blood. I will do it for her."

The vampire immediately gave a wide, bewildered look before displaying an excited smile."Even better. "

I gave her a long disdainful look before picking up a knife on the tray and returned to the witch. I took a deep breath as I sliced open my wrist before squeezing my teeth as I watched the brownish liquid flow into the bowl. A light drum settled in my chest as the black veins settled under Katherine's eyes but I hurriedly covered my wrist quickly with a towel to stop the bleeding. Katherine immediately returned to her normal state before licking her lips with the most beastly look I had ever seen so far.

And yet, I had faced Stefan the neurotic.

"You know, I'm sure you're of an exquisite flavor. "

"Unfortunately, my blood stays where it is." I replied coldly, watching Lucy smile as she continued her preparation.

I immediately frowned as Katherine suddenly brought her wrist to her lips before making the dark veins appear again under her eyes as she planted her fangs in her flesh.

I looked away with a disgusted grin at the sight before suddenly jumped as the vampire suddenly brought her wrist to my face."What are you doing ?"

"Drink, you'll heal faster!" The vampire replied in a barely shaken tone, immediately narrowing my eyes to her.

I crossed my arms over my chest in determination before giving her a sarcastic look. "You really think I'll drink your blood when I'm in a perpetual death threat at your side?"

"What, you'll come back as a vampire." The vampire replied with a smile suddenly excited at the mere thought before she gave me a more determined look. "Now that I think about it, you'd make an excellent vampire."

"The minute I come back as a vampire, I'll impal you." I threatened with all the hatred and seriousness that I could make understand with simple words.

"She's a tough little girl."

Katherine gave me a side glance with that same expression of pride before nodding. "She's like me. A survivor. "

Finally, I had opted for one of those awful ball gowns. They called it a mermaid dress. Tightened all along my trunk up to the knees before going down in flared draperies of an emerald green color. And obviously, I wore one of these masks reminding me of Venice balls.

Katherine had taken pleasure in curling my hair in a mid-length bun similar to hers, letting me despise the vampire even more. For some reason, she kept bringing the fraternal relationship between us. As if she really saw the sister she had never had. Personally, I knew it was fucking bullshit supposed to give me a false sense of security. Katherine had one purpose in her life and she was herself.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to learn more in the hope of making my own move later, Katherine made sure to keep me busy for tonight.

As soon as I put one foot in the game, I immediately started looking for Felix, separating me from the vampire.

I was not long in locating the famous brown head in an elegant tuxedo before stopping at his side holding my mask with one hand."You shouldn't have come here. "

"Mila?It's really you?" Exclaimed Felix in disbelief at my accoutrement before quickly resuming with an indignant expression. "Enough with lies. I think it's time for you to tell me what I want to know."

I winced knowingly before tilting my head as I watched the whole room looking for a familiar face."Not now, Felix. Especially not tonight."

However, I certainly did not anticipate his sudden fit of anger as he grabbed me by the arm suddenly to make me turn around. " When then? "

"Mila? "

I restrained myself from grumbling at the agreement of Tyler's familiar voice before watching the brown approach our duo with apprehension. "You're beautiful, Mila."

Felix released me at once, letting me hold a groan at the feeling of my blood returning to my arm just to force a smile on my lips."And you, you stink alcohol, Tyler. Can I know what you're doing?"

The dark had the decency to look a little ashamed as he looked between Felix and me before just rolling his eyes as Matt and that other girl called to him.

I watched the brown fleeing the situation with a long sigh before turning back to Felix to see him glare at me."What are you doing with him? He's the son of my father."

I cringed at the mention of such an important fact in such an open place before giving him a look of reprimand."Listen, do you trust me? "

I noticed Felix hesitate a moment or two when I suddenly felt a powerful point of compression in my back making me gasp by falling directly into the arms of Felix." Oh my god, Mila! Mila, what's going on? "

"Katherine!" I gasped trying to reach for my back as I could already feel the flowing blood of my wound.

Soon enough, a new pain arose in my biceps causing me to hold back a groan as I supported myself in the horror and pain of Felix."Oh my god, you're bleeding!"

"The stair! Take me upstairs!" I demanded through my breathless panting gasps forcing Felix to drag me with him.

I leaned on the brown as he helped me up the stairs despite the pain radiating throughout my body."What's going on, Mila? What is that?"

"A ... a spell ... connecting me to Katherine." I panted in Felix more as I leaned on the guardrail.

However, that was before I suddenly heard the familiar voice of my twin brother."Mila? Oh my god, Mila. Not you too."

The latter rushed at me to free me from the arms of Felix who was watching us in complete panic while Jeremy lifted me from the ground to resume his race on the first floor.

"Stop!" Jer asked abruptly forcing me to raise my head to see Damon with a stake above Katherine on the ground."Stop it! It reaches Elena. All you do to her reaches Elena and Mila."

I watched as Katherine got up by grabbing the stake from Damon's hands before walking around jubilantly. "Do you think you're the only one to have a witch by your side? Grave error. And something tells me that my witch is better than yours."

"Jeremy, let me down." I was still exhausted by what had happened before forcing him to let go of me by gesturing."I said let me down!"

"Mila!" Stefan whispered as he took in my bloody form only my gaze was focused solely on Katherine.

"Jeremy, go see Elena, make sure she's fine. Go!" Stefan ordered, letting my brother come down as I tried to smooth the wet folds of my dress.

I raised my chin to support the look of the brunette before holding my hand as she suddenly cut the palm with the stake."That's it. Assure us that poor Elena has nothing. Let's just have some pressure."

"Katherine!" I shouted, holding my bloody hand before giving her a sour look through the pain. "I thought I should be the only one affected."

"I said that?" Repeated the brunette with mischief before shrugging nonchalantly under the incredulous eyes of Stefan and Damon. "Hm, two insurances are always better than one. Now find the stone."

"What does she want to talk about?" Damon immediately barked in frustration, letting me support his icy orbs before sighing.

I shook my head limping inside before the duo's eyes dumbfounded leaving Katherine's boys smile even wider.

"Mila, what are you doing?"

I immediately raised my head to give a shine on Stefan before taking a warning tone. "Get away from my path, Stefan."

I pushed the vampire out of my way, letting him back a few steps before leaning on the edge of the couch to feel the pain in my back.

"Mila!" Stefan whispered, joining me anyway before giving a scathing look at the vampire."What did you do to her? "

"Mila? Nothing. She volunteered herself." She taunted, forcing me to look away under the dubious looks of Damon and Stefan. "Oh, you don't know? It turns out that Little Mila had someone else to protect. Smart girl realized that it was better to give me what I wanted. Now where is the moonstone, Stefan?"

I held Stefan's gaze holding a new groan as I held my back still bloody before throwing my head back against the back of the sofa as Katherine settled in beside me in jubilation.

I stared at her immediately before whistling between my teeth through the pain. " You lied to me!"

"It's not against you." Katherine feigned a pouty face that made me jerk my jaw into indignation. "I hope we'll stay friends?"

A growl soon appeared from the right, making me turn my head just to see Damon glare at me."We knew you were manipulating something! Have you lost your mind?"

"Kiss my ass!" I joked, glaring at him before shaking my head." It's all your fault!"

Katherine grinned before making herself more comfortable getting ready to enjoy it all the way. "Here we are again like at the time. All three sets. The brother who loved me so much, and the one who never loved me so much."

"And that vampire bitch who never loved herself. "

"What's happening to you Damon? You knew how to comport yourself though." Katherine replied at once, forcing the vampire to take off his smoking eyes from my form for the vampire's.

He immediately displayed a sarcastic expression making me roll my eyes as I cursed myself for trying to play the cleverest with a five-hundred-year-old vampire. "For pity, spare me the melodramatic reunion."

"This honesty will kill you one day, Mila." Katherine made me sigh, turning my head in her direction in exhaustion. "Ew, you look bad."

I sighed heavily before giving Stefan a long look. "Give her the moonstone."

"You, silent!" Damon said, pointing at me before giving Katherine a look. "Why the little Gilbert? Why ally with her?"

I frowned on the dark vampire not understanding his pointless question before breathing hard as Katherine smiled in amusement.

She took a step towards me, but Stefan hastened to intervene with a warning expression."What are you going to do with this stone? "

"Elena must be delightful!" Katherine answered at once, making me close my eyelids, already preparing for one of her little sneaks. "Two handsome studs at her feet."

"Oh boy!"

"A desperate attempt, Katherine. We know where you are coming from." Stefan objected firmly, making me open my eyelids to look between the two vampires.

I shook my head at the sight of Katherine's expression before grinning again as she rose from the couch. "So, you don't mind knowing that Damon is crazy in love with her?"

"Stop please."

"Or what? Are you going to hurt me?" The vampire challenged mischievously before making fun of herself. "Please Stefan, everything I feel, Elena will feel it. You don't have genes. Oh! No, I have better. Damon, kiss me. That too, she will feel it."

I held a grunt as the vampire stopped in front of Damon with confidence just giving me a slap in the head. This little childish game was even worse than watching Stefan, Elena and Damon interact.

However, my attention was soon stung again by the intervention of Stefan. "And your story with Mason, can you explain to me? Why a werewolf? Moonstone breaks a spell that helps them destroy vampires. So, what interest for you?"

"I'm sorry for your little wolf by the way. Maybe you should have kept him on a leash."Intervened Damon making my eyes widen in a panic as I watched the trio in a bad feeling.

"Mason? What did you do to Mason?" I exclaimed calling the trio as a smug smile appeared on the lips of Katherine unlike Damon who shared a look with Stefan."Damon! What did you do to him? "

"He killed him." Katherine answered coldly casually before giving us a wide smirk. "But I will remember it for the next ones. Because he's not the only wolf in town. Isn't it, Mila?"

I felt my breath catch in my throat as I raised my head, clenching my jaw. " If ever-"

"Take it easy! He was not my first choice." Katherine answered quickly with a wink calling out to the vampire duo. "But if it ever fails ..."

I immediately tried to get up by clenching my fists just to make me stop quickly by Stefan."Mila, no. "

I supported his green forest orbs as he put his hand on my shoulder letting me convey how sorry I was. He gave me a slight nod before turning to Katherine as she suggested we play stupid riddles.

"This stone belonged to you. "

"What are you mumbling in your corner?" Damon immediately gave me a look from the corner of his eyes, letting me quickly look away.

"The Lockwood with whom you had made an agreement to feign your death, and it was you who told me, you gave him an object in exchange. It was the Moon Stone this object."

"Oh! A good point Stefan, you made the connection." Katherine admitted intrigued me in spite of me since I knew that the vampire had always had a bigger overall plan. "And all that should have worked, but we knew I was not in the crypt. Because of you."

"Hm."Hummed Damon by raising his glass of whiskey in the satisfaction of having served at least at something.

"You don't know how much the obsession that you had for me could be embarrassing."Katherine grumbled, heading for the ebony-haired vampire.

Damon raised his glass again before giving her a sarcastic smile. "Like yours for me, darling."

"But why do you really want to get it back? "

"One-million-dollar question." I muttered, straightening up in a groan. "It's no use. She will not say anything."

"What could you use the stone for?"

"And what's the use of wasting time? "

"Except, if it was not for you, it belonged. In 1864, when you pretended to be dead, who were you trying to flee?"

I winced at the ceaseless questions of Damon and Stefan before straightening into a sitting position as Katherine sensually headed for Stefan."In 1987, you were in Chicago, at this unforgettable concert, with this girl, Lexie."

"And it gets even more scary." I sighed as I rolled my eyes, getting a bored look from Katherine.

The latter looked back at Stefan with a wide, amused smile." Ah, it's right! No need to play the astonished. Obviously, I followed you. You were at the forefront. You danced all night. Eyes on Bon Jovi and mine on you."

"Who were you trying to flee?"

"You are my only love ..." Katherine murmured with that adorable smile that almost matched Elena's.

Except that it was currently used by an obsessive psychopath.

"Do you know that there is a very good therapist nowadays?" I said pointing Damon and Katherine with my hand. "To treat severe cases of obsession."

Damon narrowed his stormy blue eyes at me, just shrugging my shoulders before I looked away. Honestly, I did not even count the minutes I was here. All I wanted was to get out of this room. I could not believe the plan had escalated so quickly. Again, I assumed it was predictable after our last plans. It had been necessary for the Salvatore to get involved. For some reason, their plan always failed with them in the picture.

Unfortunately, I could say the same about my plan. I had been surpassed. There were still too many secrets from Katherine.

"Oh ... we're missing the party." The vampire said, making me sigh.

However, it was before I felt Stefan's eyes piercing holes in my side making me look at him in questioning. "Why?"

It stung the other two, letting me bite the inside of my cheek before supporting Stefan's inquisitive gaze. "Because ... because I'm tired of relying on psychopaths. I thought you were helping me but you are as bad as him."

I did not know Stefan's wounded look to sign Damon bitterly under Katherine's amused eyes."So you have partnered with the biggest slut of all time? "

"I did what I had to do to protect the people I love." I was saying acerbic sniffing Katherine's sniff.

"Um, it looks like the great friendship isn't what it was." The brunette commented, signing Stefan and me before stopping at Damon. "All because of you. Congratulations, Damon."

Damon gave her a sarcastic grimace before using a glass of Whiskey arousing the vampire to demand one in turn."Oh! At your service Miss Katherine."

Katherine passed behind Damon, recovering the glass before making me gasp as he suddenly slammed her to the wall with a stake raised over her heart.

"Damon, no! "

"Yes, I beg you, go ahead." Katherine tried to make me look at the exchange with this ball of anguish in my chest at the possibility of my impending death.

"The moment the curse is lifted, you will feel that stake sink into the stone that is your heart."Damon managed to get hold of Stefan.

I immediately stood on the armrest of the couch for support before watching the seconds passed as minutes.

"Oh, what are you sexy too! Since when you became so sexy?"

Stefan stepped back as Damon stepped aside, letting the vampire walk towards Stefan until Lucy intervened suddenly in the crack of the door."Katherine? You'll be able to spin; my blockage of the room is up."

"God be praised." The vampire sighed as she walked towards Lucy, letting me look at her with a sense of trepidation as Lucy handed her the stone.

"Tell me, once I give it to you, we agree, I owe you nothing?"

"Okay. "

"Debt paid? "

I swallowed as Lucy pulled the stone back leaving a feeling of impatience in the vampire. "I told you okay, so go ahead."

"Lucy." I interjected making contact with the witch before shaking my head in a last attempt.

The latter supported my gaze ignoring Damon's warning before giving Katherine the stone.

However, I did not expect to hear Katherine's painful gasp as she looked at her hand as if she were paralyzed. Better still, it seemed that the spell connecting me to her was up as I was standing right now letting me watch the scene unfold before us.

"You should have told me that another witch was involved. It's a Bennett, Katherine, and I suppose you knew it too."

"And Elena? "

Lucy gave me a look as she watched Katherine fall to the floor in agony before giving me a nod. "She and Mila will be fine. The evil bond has been broken, they will recover, Bonnie is with her. And sorry for these inconveniences."

I watched Katherine on the floor for a moment longer before sighing as I hurried after Lucy. At least, that was what I had planned if Damon had not suddenly grabbed my arm to hold me back.

"Damon-"

"It's worth it? To put your sister in danger?" Barked Damon with an icy look making me look down at the vampire.

I jerked my jaw angrily and pulled my arm violently out of his grip. "My only regret is that you're still breathing. "

I could see the anger soon resume the vampire's function to hide his wounded air making me look his gaze before giving Stefan a warning look at his attempt to temper me.

"No!" I stopped coldly, raising my hand before shaking my head in pure rejection.

I immediately turned on my heel, trying to forget the physical and mental pain of the evening before quickly making my way outside Lockwood Manor. I accelerated between cars parked along the property trying to forget this evening despite the throbbing tears behind my eyes.

It had been a failure. A total and epic failure.

However, it was before a sudden crackle called out to me. I made a sudden pause, holding on the edges of my dress too long for my taste and looked with even more attention around me. I could feel my breathing speeding up at the same time as my heartbeat in a bad feeling. I glanced nervously over my shoulder just to start flip-flopping at the sight of a man wearing a jester mask. I literally froze in my steps as I watched him lean his head in curiosity before giving a sudden cry when he grabbed my wrists.

The sight of his mask was the last thing I saw before everything went black.

* * *

 _ **Hey, everyone !**_

 _ **I must say that the comments took a long time to arrive on this story but now, it's a real continuous flow ^^ And I must say that it's really a success for me when I see certain to grant one too an important reflection on Mila's relations.**_

 _ **I must admit that I agree with most of you. Mila and Damon's relationship is toxic but that's how I wanted to describe it. Nevertheless, we must not forget that he's one of the reasons for her reconstruction. Without him, she would never talk again. Stefan has a great importance in her life but the next events will make their relationship difficult.  
**_

 _ **At present, I still have not determined a definitive ship. Especially since that new suitors will arrive in the picture. I'm not going to make Mila the center of interest, but let's say that her past and her condition make her important for season 2 and the seasons to come ...**_

 _ **Anyway, thanks again for your follow and till the next chapter my friends...**_


	31. Chapter 31 : Hypnotic

**Chapter thirty-one : Hypnotic**

Jeremy did not really know what to think after last nights. Not only did they manage to beat Katherine but they finally found out what was going on with Mila. Or at least that was what he thought.

Honestly, he knew his sister well enough to know she had to have more secrets. She had never been very open before, but since the arrival of the supernatural in their lives, he could tell that she had changed. He did not know if it was for the best but he knew one thing, he had to hear it before making hasty conclusions like the others. After all, she was his twin and they had always been tied before. In addition, he knew that the incident with Damon and him had deeply affected her. Mila never did anything wrong around him. She was looking for solutions and even though working with Katherine had probably been the worst idea ever, Jeremy had to know her reasons.

But first, he had to check on Elena. He had not seen her come back last night and he still had to make sure she was fine.

He knocked at his older sister's door for a moment before frowning at the lack of response."Get up, Elena! "

Probably thinking that Elena was taking her time, Jeremy decided to take advantage of it to try to get in touch with Mila. It was risky, he knew it but he had to understand the reasons for her actions. He knocked on the door as he had done with Elena before simply entering since he remembered his sister's actions during the summer.

After the death of their relative, Mila had made a 360 ° turn towards the depression."Mila? "

He looked around the dark room perfectly tidy before venturing a bit more with a bad feeling. He noticed most of her belongings still near her desk as well as some family photos. For some reason, he found himself staying a little longer than necessary. He let his fingers drag on the top of Mila's dresser, her desk before stopping in front of her bed.

He crossed his arms over his chest at the sight of his sister's lack before shaking his head as he realized that she just had to avoid the world now.

* * *

 _ **Elena POV**_

A man wore Elena in a huge, abandoned Victorian house. He put her on the sofa before pulling the ropes off her hands and feet. He took off most of his clothes that were supposed to protect him from the sun before sitting on the couch, letting Elena gradually regain consciousness of her surroundings, moaning and wincing. Elena was still a little dizzy with the attack but she could still see her world around her.

The problem was that she did not know where she was." What do you want?"

"Hush!" Whispered the man back with a finger raised to his lips, leaving Elena wincing in pain at the sensation of her wounds.

"Please, I'm hurt." She asked, looking at her bloody shirt.

"I know." The man answered at once, looking at her wounds before letting his face warp into the familiar black veins she knew so well now."Just a taste."

"Trevor!" A female voice abruptly followed, followed by the distinct sound of heels letting the vampire turn his head towards the newcomer. "Control yourself and leave this girl."

The vampire, Trevor, got up visibly annoyed by the interruption before giving a bored look."Buzz Kill!"

"The other girl?" Asked the pixie woman to let the vampire roll his eyes before fleeing to retrieve the second bundle.

Elena stood up at the mention of a second girl before frowning." The other girl? What do you want with me? With us?"

"You look exactly like her, it's crazy." Exclaimed the brunette, advancing to have a better look at the famous look-alike.

Elena shook her head immediately, leaning on the edge of the sofa. "But I'm not her. And I don't know what you intend to do to me-"

"Shut up!" Barked the woman harshly.

"But I'm not Katherine!" Elena persisted as she stood up to face the woman. "My name is Elena Gilbert, I would not be useful to you."

"I know who you are!" Replied the vampire, becoming more and more annoyed by the useless persistence of the look-alike. "And please, you shut up!"

Elena shook her head again in obstinacy clearly not ready to give up. "What do you want from me?"

The woman slapped her violently, sending her stolen back on the couch before shaking her head to get to the other girl.

This one was special.

They did not know that she actually existed before today, but if they could use one of them, it was definitely this one.

* * *

 _ **Stefan POV  
**_  
"It's a Katherine move. It's obvious."

"Katherine is in the crypt, I have her locked up." Damon replied with certainty, immediately receiving a skeptical glance from Stefan.

The latter hastened to press his step towards his elder brother with agitation. " Are you sure?"

"Sure of what, Stefan? "

"We know the hold she has on you." Stefan countered with mild condescension, receiving Damon's bitter look at once.

If only he knew the hold that the Gilbert girls had on him, he would think otherwise.

"She's in the crypt, period! Is that clear?" Damon argued, letting Stefan turn around in frustration leaving Damon to take a break at memories of the vampire's threats."But she told me something when I closed the door ... In fact, I thought she was lying ..."

"What did she say?" Stefan asked at once, not only worried about Elena but about Mila too.

It was the second time he had lived this moment about Mila and he would be damned if he inflicted it again for her. She was right to get away from him. Just like Elena. He should never have inflicted this on each of them.

Damon looked up again frustrated by the bitch before taking a serious tone."Elena and Mila are in danger ..."

"What?" Stefan exploded clearly tired of taking action with his brother."And that's all, you didn't ask her to specify? "

"All she says is a lie." Damon reminded, just as frustrated. "How could I know she was going to swing something real?"

"We have to go see her!"

"No, no, there is no question!" Damon objected, shaking his head. "If we come to ask for help, I can tell you that she will want to negotiate, that you will accept and that as soon as she comes out, she will kill us! What she wants since forever!"

Stefan shook his head all the way, barely listening for his warnings before he started walking away impatiently."Well, that she's tried!"

"It's a bad idea, Stefan! "

Stefan immediately paused before giving a sharp glance at his brother. "This is Elena ... and Mila. No wonder she wants us dead."

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

 _This forest again!_

 _I looked around me, raising my hand to my face to hide from the dazzling sun._ _Everything felt so real. From the wind in my ebony brown curls to the intoxicating sensation of the hot rays of the sun against my skin. I lowered my hands to try to spot myself before abruptly frowning at the sight of a sudden opening.  
_

 _Whenever I was here, there was only a large forest but this time seemed different._

 _I lowered my eyes on my bare feet noticing for the first time how dirty I looked. The white dress I wore was stained with dirt and ... was its blood ?! I felt my heart running in my chest at the sight. Only it was before a creak in the distance called out to me. I immediately broke my head in the direction and widened my eyes at the sight of a huge wolf emerging from the woods. I felt my breathing clinging in my throat as I watched the white wolf as the snow, grouching closer. I took a step back without ever taking my eyes off him.  
_

 _I continued to retreat as he approached before accelerating his pace just to let out a sudden cry as I fell flat on my buttocks._

 _The salty tears were already embedded in my eyes as I expected the wolf to attack me. At this point, I was already imagining the pain of his fangs piercing, nibbling and tearing the flesh of my limbs._ _The sight of the blood spreading agonizing slowness on my white dress already stained and the feeling of my breath of life draining._ _The sound of his cackling jaw forced me to stare at him again, letting me follow him in petrifaction. He seemed to take pleasure in encircling me as his prey.  
_

 _However, he suddenly stopped on his feet. I stayed just as still as I watched him approaching at an agonizingly slow speed and felt my breath get stuck in my throat as he stopped abruptly a few inches from my face. I immediately closed my eyes as I could now feel his putrid breath against my icy skin. The nauseating smell of flesh and blood infested my nostrils making me want to vomit.  
_

 _Unfortunately, fear paralyzed me on the spot and it also involved my ability to swallow.  
_

 _So instead, I remained completely stoic in the face of this terrifying beast.  
_

 _The sounds of the forest suddenly darkened around us. Only the macabre roars of the wolf in front of me persisted._

 _After a moment much too long for my taste, I found the courage to open my eyes again. However, I certainly did not expect to see the once terrifying wolf suddenly bow to me. The reverence left me speechless as I watched in amazement and mild curiosity._ _My first instincts told me to take advantage of it to escape, but an unknown force kept me on the ground._

 _I took a moment to control my erratic breath and slowly straightened up on my hands. The feeling of earth and dead leaves under my hands reminded me even more of my environment. I noticed the wolf concisely follow my movements letting me breathe with a trembling breath before a new crackle was heard on my left. I jumped at the same moment as the wolf jumped into a defensive position before uttering a cry as a corpse rain suddenly surrounded me. Men, women, teenagers, children, were suddenly around me in a circle making me jump on my feet before seeing a silhouette from the shadows._ _I held my breath as the wolf stood immediately in front of me as if to protect me and curl up on me as I waited for my fatal destiny.  
_

 _However, it was before I saw a sudden blonde hair emerging from the woods soon followed by the pair of eyes the most…_

I leaped into a waking state, screaming before realizing too late that my scream had been alleviated by a gag of some sort around my face. A pearl of sweat stood on my forehead as I looked all around me just to feel that anguish again along my chest.

I watched the dusty and dilapidated place in which I was standing before my eyes widened at the sight of Elena lying on a couch.

"Elen-mmmmm ..."

My scream was still softened by my gag making my eyes drop on my hands and feet to see that I was also tied up. I immediately closed my eyes in an attempt to soothe my heart pounding in my chest before taking a deep breath. I had to go to Elena to make sure she was fine.

Suddenly, a blurry figure appeared before me startling me before dragging me savagely on the ground to try to escape the unknown man.

"Hey, hey! Calm down!" He tried to calm me down in my steps as he raised his hands in surrender. "Hey! I don't want to hurt you."

I immediately narrowed my eyes at him in disbelief raising a quiet little laugh from the man before he tilted his head by signing my gag.

"It was for your safety. You kept shouting and waving in your sleep." He explained in a strangely thoughtful tone to someone that he had just abducted my sister and me." Bad dream?"

I contemplated staying motionless while ignoring him before realizing that I could cooperate as well if I wanted answers. So reluctantly, I nodded slowly, calming my gasping breath.

"You're rather young to find yourself in such a story." He said with a small smile that could be described as attractive before he signed my ropes again."I'm going to detach you."

I looked at him suspiciously as he leaned forward letting me hold my breath as he pulled the ropes from my ankles. Then my hands, allowing me to remove my gag myself. I watched him for a moment in my corner clearly not ready to speak first before looking at him with apprehension as he rose to his full height.

"You're certainly calmer than your sister." He found me rolling my eyes in spite of me, pulling of the vampire a small smile. "My name is Trevor."

I kept staring at him with my eyes lifted since he was fucking big before flashing my eyes a few times as he suddenly disappeared.

Awesome! Vampire!

* * *

I did not even know how long I was here.

I looked again through the window covered with wooden board telling me that he should not have a daylight ring. It could be an advantage for us. I gave Elena a new look at my position, noticing her bloodstained pink T-shirt before I remembered last night's party.

I lowered my eyes on my outfit just to roll my eyes at the sight of Katherine's green dress. I was about to roll my eyes in boredom again when Elena suddenly let out a deep breath showing her return to consciousness.

"Welcome back among the living." I called from my corner as I searched for a way to defend ourselves among the debris.

"Mila?" Hailed Elena with wide eyes to my sight, letting me roll my eyes as she stood up looking at me from head to toe."You were at the masquerade ball?"

I gave her an incredulous look over my shoulder before shaking my head. "Interesting choice of priority."

"Why are you here?"

"I don't know. But I will understand it." I replied dryly between my teeth as I tightened my grip around a piece of wood before turning abruptly on my heels.

I abruptly passed Elena to the exit, giving a shocked look at my older sister."Mil, what are you doing? "

"Get answers." I answered in boredom before giving her a warning look. "Now, be calm!"

I ventured into a sort of big hall with a tight hold on my weapon before giving Elena a glance over my shoulder as a new female voice was heard.

So, there were two?! Well, so is my defense plan.

I gave a nasty look at my weapon before putting it in the nearest spot alerting Elena." What are you doing?"

"Be quiet will you?!" I murmured urgently before giving her a wide look in annoyance. "They are two, okay? And probably vampires. How do you think they will react if they see us with that?"

"But-"

"Shut the hell up!" I hissed as I heard a snatch of the duo's conversation in the distance.

"So that it, Trevor!" Hissed the woman looking annoyed for some reason. "He will have it or he will not have it. We will have to wait."

Well, they did not get along so well. With a little luck, I could use that to my advantage.

I slowly continued my way to the voices by frowning more in the intrigue to the voice of the man. "And we still have time, we just have to go and we will avoid all this mess!"

"I'm sick of running!"

I kept walking, watching Elena as I listened for the stormy conversation. For kidnappers, they were not very smart. They were obviously on the run and they wanted to escape something. Or someone.

"Yeah? Well, running keeps us from dying!"

"Elijah is old school. He will accept this deal and we will finally be free."

Strangely, I had a sudden pause in the agreement of the strange name. For some reason, it sounded almost ... familiar.

Unfortunately, Elena had not seen my stop and before I could fully realize, she hit me hard, making me stumble forward. This questioned the duo since the woman I could see now hastened to stand in front of us.

"Hey!" She barked into my face making me take a step back in alarm."I'm telling you there's nothing for miles around, so if you think you can pull yourself out of here, you're deadly wrong."

I clench my jaw at the obvious threat before holding me up to challenge her as I would with Damon before giving Elena a sour look as she made the stupid mistake of speaking anyway."Who is Elijah? "

"Your worst nightmare."

"Awesome!" I sighed under my breath before lifting my arms in the air in frustration.

I was walking back at once before stopping in the living room where I had woken up to find that Elena had not followed me. I rolled my eyes immediately before just letting myself fall back onto the couch in fatigue. This strange new dream had emptied me and to be honest, I did not even know what it meant.

A wolf. Why would I dream of a white wolf like snow? Not to mention he did not seem like a normal wolf but more like a supernatural wolf. It probably meant something. I could not have strange dreams for several months without having a reason.

"You seem rather calm." Trevor suddenly appeared in the living room with wooden planks for the windows.

I watched him from my position on the couch before arching an eyebrow. "If I ask questions, will you answer them?"

"You're smart. I'll give you that." He said with a wide, amused smile before turning back once he had covered the sun's rays." Why not try? Maybe I would answer?"

I gave him a suspicious look before straightening up slightly in spite of myself."Since when? That you run I mean?"

"About five hundred years."

I gave him a bewildered look realizing he must be really old before shaking my head to focus again."So, your pursuer must be powerful."

Trevor was about to elaborate only the woman and Elena suddenly appeared in the room making me cringe at my loss of power.

"Tell me more!"

"Captivity makes her very arrogant." Trevor made me smile in spite of myself. "What do you want to know charming look-alike?"

I exhilarated at the mention of lookalike before giving an outraged look on Elena. "That damn thing about a look-alike? Again? Really?"

"Not a fan?" Trevor asked with an amused smile making me roll my eyes before turning to the woman as she gave us a wary look.

I shrugged my shoulders before signing Elena to her next question."What are you fleeing from? "

"The Originals." Trevor replied, making me look at him in puzzlement.

"Yes she told me." Elena replied in her usual impatience. "But I don't know who it is."

Trevor sat by my side on the couch letting me bring my knees to my chest as a precaution before watching him at his intervention. "The first vampires. Old World."

"There are some first?" I exclaimed in disbelief before shaking my hands sarcastically. " So, what? A bat sleep with a human and Bam?!"

The woman gave me a non-impressed look unlike Trevor who snorted with amusement. "Rose and I piss them off."

"Hm."

"I rectify: Me I pissed them off and Rose there, protected me and for half a millennium, they want our skin." He replied at once in response to the humming of the female vampire.

"What did you do to them?" Elena asked at once, letting me throw my head back to look at the ceiling wearily.

Honestly, I was seriously starting to tire of vampire stories. I just wanted to go home and forget about the last half year.

"He made the same mistake as so many others: trust Katerina Petrova." Rose replied, immediately make me give her a flat look in disbelief.

Of course, everything came back to Katherine. This vampire was worse than a seed. When we thought of getting rid of her, she always came back and stronger. Although I must admit that the bitch knew to leave a trace in history with a certain panache.

"Katherine. "

"The one and only." Rose agreed, giving a glance between my sister and me. "The first double Petrova."

I immediately pinched the bridge of my nose before shaking my head in exhaustion. "What a pain in the ass!"

"And that I helped to ... escape her fate and that's where I actually got... no, that ... We had to endure their hunt." Rectified Trevor, signing Rose as she was leaving the room.

Rose immediately turned to the end of the room with a sharp look at Trevor."Reason why we will not repeat the same mistake."

I took a moment to collect the news before exhilarating on a fact always confused for me."Wait. Wait! What do I have to do with all this?Why am I here?"

I noticed the two vampires exchanging a long, outstretched gaze making me sit up in a bad presentiment.

"What? What is happening?" Elena asked quickly, quickly regaining my side, seeming to be alerted by their look. "Why is Mila here?"

Rose paused before venturing back into the room with a sigh. " There's a story. We don't know if this is true but if there is a chance then we will take it."

"Wait, what story?" I exclaimed alertly as I spotted the duo fleeing again. " Answer me! What a story!"

I let myself fall back on the sofa at the lack of obvious response before crossing my arms on my chest in the growing irritation. I noticed Elena give me a look by grimacing before she moved on the couch too. She seemed about to comment but she suddenly stopped, calling me. I immediately caught an eyebrow at the sight of the strange paper under her shoe before giving her a look as she jerked her head up to look at me. She brought her finger to her lips before handing me the paper letting me read a message from Bonnie telling us that Stefan and Damon were on the way.

However, my attention was soon entertained elsewhere as Trevor suddenly exploded through the room seeming about to make an attack."He's there! He's there! We make a mistake!"

"I said we were going to fix everything so please trust me." Intervened Rose, trying to appease the vampire.

Honestly, I almost felt sorry for Trevor but that was if he was not that crazy vampire who helped Katherine. I had already given with Damon and I would not try a second time.

"And how? He wants my death Rose! "

"And he needs them even more!" Rose reminded us pointing at me, drawing a bad feeling at the mention of our use.

"I will never make it." Trevor objected, shaking his head. "You're going to give him the girl and he will forgive you but me, I get off in a hurry!"

Rose hastened to take his hands to stop him making me fully realize the severity of our situation. If a 500 year old vampire was so freaked out then imagine what could be behind this Elijah.

"Stop!" Rose barked, giving him a sharp look. "The two of us, what are we?"

Trevor closed his eyes as he took a breath before giving Rose a look." A family. Forever."

I winced at the sight, noticing Elena giving a soft smile, then jumping suddenly at the powerful knock on the floor.

"You're afraid!" Elena realized as she saw the vampires flinch, giving me an apathetic glance to show seriousness.

Rose gave us a look before turning to Trevor."Stay there with them, Trevor, and please, silence!"

I immediately got up off the couch and focused on Trevor before I noticed Elena get up in her turn."Mila! "

"Trevor!" I called instead, raising a hand to Elena as the vampire turned to me. "You can let us go. Run away again. If you stay here, he'll kill you."

Trevor gave me a panicked look only Rose hastened to intervene abruptly in the room. "You! Get away from him! "

I jumped, taking a step back before I felt my breath catch in my throat as a brown man and a suit was in the entrance at the top of the stairs. He had his eyes focused on Elena letting me look nervously at each other before I jumped again as he moved faster than I had seen before. He leaned over to Elena suddenly making me wince as he seemed about to kiss her before he sniffed her neck. He took a deep breath letting me swallow in nervousness before hiding in the shadows.

Unfortunately, this stupid dress just chosen this moment to cling to one of the tattered slats making me fall flat on my ass with a cry of little girl.

"Mila!" Elena shouted as she tried to pass the vampire as I tried to sit up on my hands before I froze at the vampire's intense gaze.

He had a white expression on his face as if he had just seen a ghost long forgotten.

However, he soon resumed his shock as he moved to me before squatting, letting me sink deeper into the floor.

"No, don't come near me!" I exclaimed, recoiling in panic and fright.

"Milana." He whispered in an almost inaudible whisper as he continued to stare at me with his wide brown eyes. "Impossible. "

I immediately raised my hand as he tried to move forward again just to scream as he took a firm hold of my wrist. I was expecting everything when his cool skin came into contact with my wrist but certainly not that sudden surge of power and confidence. I watched as the man sniffed the hollow of my wrist as he had done with Elena's neck earlier before I caught myself raising my other hand to Elena to stop her to come closer.

The man or probably Elijah noticed my sign as he cast his deep brown eyes over me before sketching a small smile. "Human ... Hi you!"

I immediately wrinkled my lips, pulling my hand sharply from his touch in the memory of his nature before moving back to my corner.

It diminished the dashing man's smile as he tilted his head to the side before raising a hand to Elena's useless threat."Silence!"

I could hear my heartbeat pulsing in my ears as this wave of power was still lying down my arm. It was as if I had just been electroshocked and my body was still shaking from contact. And honestly, it was not really a pleasant feeling. Although what bothered me the most was my obvious lack of resentment for the creature in front of me.

Moreover, the latter seemed fully aware of this fact as he straightened his suit jacket once standing before stretching his hand to help me up.

I immediately frowned on the outstretched palm before giving him a dark look that gave the vampire a new smile."I will not hurt you. "

I weighed my options before finally taking the man's strong, gentle hand before letting out a breath as he suddenly lifted me up with ease.

I immediately held my head from the shock before looking at him with wide eyes as he once again took in my unique features."I would recognize her powerful eyes anywhere. Now, what are your names?"

"Elena." Elena said stupidly, probably hoping to be a distraction, letting the man turn to her with an arched eyebrow."And that's my sister. Mila."

"Sister, huh?" He turned back to me with a thoughtful look before nodding his head. " What irony. Well, we have a long journey in front of us. We should leave."

Unfortunately, Elena seemed strangely more reluctant than I was as she immediately moved forward in the hope of imploring pity. "I beg you Rose, don't let him take us!"

"One more detail to settle, and we left." He declared, ignoring my sister's request, letting me watch each of his intimidating movements anxiously.

He exuded respect and power, and even though I'd already noticed that kind of vampire presence, he was certain to say that this man seemed superior to all the vampires I'd met. That was probably why I was terribly worried about my mental health right now. Why was not I begging like Elena? Better yet, why did I feel this vampire's strong attraction?

Elijah turned to Trevor, walking past him, letting the vampire lower his eyes to the floor."I have been waiting for this day for a long time Elijah, I apologize to you."

"Oh Trevor it's useless." The vampire replied, turning around Trevor like a predator around his prey.

I bit the inside of my cheek as Trevor insisted recalling his betrayal with Katherine.

However, something did not feel right. It was as if this man was taking pleasure in Trevor's distress and I had been sufficiently exposed to vampires to know that it would not end well.

"Indeed, you are the culprit. But Rose has helped you out of loyalty to what I respect. But what has become of your loyalty?"

Elijah stopped in front of Trevor, giving a look at Rose before stopping again on Trevor. "I beg you to forgive me."

"Motion granted. "

I watched for a moment as Trevor smiled before letting out a gasp as he jumped backward as Elijah abruptly tossed the vampire head off with a wave of his hand. Rose immediately burst into tears as Elijah resumed his walk as he wiped his hands as if nothing had happened before warning her to rethink her choices as she tried to attack him.

A sudden presence at my side woke me up from my shock just to give Elena a still-bewildered look as she grabbed my wrist.

The vampire immediately turned to us before extending his hand in my direction. " Come!"

"No, you forget the Moonstone!" Elena exclaimed at once in haste making me frown in disbelief on the brunette.

She really wanted to talk pebbles right now? We had just witnessed a hand-to-hand decapitation for God's sake.

"What do you know about this stone?"

"I ... I know you want it and I know where it is."

Elijah gave a barely shaky look, shaking my head in panic." Yes?"

"No, she lies!" I finally shook my head furiously at my older sister. "She's just trying to save time. "

The vampire immediately gave a glance between my sister and me looking amused rather than upset by my tirade.

Only that was before Elena went on anyway." No, no! I know where it is! I'll get it back."

"Tell me where it is!"

Elena shook her head, making me look at her in disbelief. " Oh no. We have nothing without nothing. "

"Elena! Don't be stupid!" I whistled between my teeth, raising an arched eyebrow at the mighty vampire in front of us.

The latter crossed his arms on his chest seemingly amused before giving a look at each of us."Are you negotiating with me? And you, Mila, to lie to me?"

He turned to Rose at the end of his tirade forcing the vampire to comment hatefully towards Elijah.

I swallowed as he looked back at us before looking down at Elena's necklace, making the vampire wince in annoyance."What does this vervain do around your neck?"

I jumped as he pulled it hard from Elena's neck before catching her by the hair to bring her closer to him in the moment. "Wait!"

"I don't like waiting!" Elijah warned me with warning making me swallow again.

I hid my hand behind my back where my ring was before giving him a look as sincere as possible. "I'll tell you what you want. Just ... release her. Please."

"Hmm ... where is the Moonstone?" The vampire asked at once, make me give a nervous look at Elena before turning my eyes to the vampire.

"In the crypt. Under the ruins of the church."

"What did it do in this crypt?"

Honestly, I did not know why I was answering him of my own free will but I preferred to avoid another bloodshed for today.

"It's Katherine who has it."

Elijah immediately raised his head with a surprised smile before nodding. "Interesting."

However, the sudden sound of glass noise made me look up at the entrance to the house just like Elijah.

He released Elena, letting that last sigh before he surprised me when he took my arm to keep me at his side by giving a look at Rose. " What is it?"

"I don't know. "

"Who else is here?" Barked Elijah by kept me firmly against his side despite my attempts to free me.

The latter immediately turned to my sister and me before taking Elena in turn looking much more violent with her than with me. We climbed the stairs under Elena's moaning struggle as I tried to stay up despite the dress and my heels making it difficult for me. The vampire, as amazing as he sounds, seemed aware of this fact as I was suddenly lifting off the ground before getting into his arms in a married style position. I unconsciously felt my cheeks blush at the intimacy of contact before supporting me in spite of myself against the vampire's-built chest as he abruptly stopped in the foyer.

I was still mostly surprised by the vampire's act as well as his strength to hold us both. However, I was quick to pick up my mind as soon as I saw fast shadows flying around us.

Elijah immediately put me down on the ground before jostled us to Rose before giving her a warning look.

"I don't know who he is."

"Up there!" Suddenly came a voice that was all too familiar to me as I looked at Elena.

I stepped back a few steps as Elijah went up the stairs in a blur before holding a gasp as I felt a new breath behind me." Below."

The sound of a detonation could be heard and the second after I was suddenly held against a wall alongside Rose with Damon hovering too close on us for my taste. The dark vampire immediately brought his fingers to his lips to tell me to be calm before making eye contact with me. I supported his bluish eyes before immediately turning my head to the left at the agreement of the gracious voice of Elijah.

"Excuse me but know it well. Whoever you are, it's a mistake to believe that you can defeat me. You can't. Is it clear?"

The sound of crackling wood could soon be heard whispering at each sound before watching Damon lean toward the living room. "Then I tell you again: You can't defeat me. Now I want these girls. I will count to three. After, heads will fall. Have I been clear enough?"

A new wooden crack made me suddenly struggle against Damon's taking in a preservation instinct.

Only the vampire hastened to shrink his blue eyes on me before jostling me slightly to support me against the wall. I immediately made eye contact with the vampire in the process, supporting his strangely concerned look before suddenly jumping to agreement in a voice all too familiar.

"I will come with you. "

I felt my heart pounding in my chest at the agreement of Elena voice before feeling rage and indignation replace my anxiety with her stupidity.

"But please, spare my friends. They only wanted to help me."

At this point, I had to restrain myself from dropping a curse so she exceeded me. What did she hope to accomplish? Had she not seen how easy it had been for Elijah to kill Trevor? Or even the way he breathed power? Without adding that part of me was still somewhat intrigued by the way he had nicknamed me. He knew things.

A familiar sound of vampire movement interrupted my heretical thoughts before a loud, panting breath sounded.

"You think you can play so easily with me? "

Unfortunately, Elena's answer never came as the sound of a pin soon followed by a painful grunt.

Soon enough, the sound of a shotgun sounded, letting me imagine the fight just next to me before I felt Damon's grip loosen. I immediately looked at the vampire just to see him catch a coat rack in the corner. I widened my eyes in the realization before following him abruptly as he went straight into the fight. I could not help but release a big gasp as I saw Damon stabbing Elijah right in the heart before continuing to advance until he had skewered him in the nearest wall.

I remained completely motionless as I watched the charismatic vampire turn a sickly shade of gray before feeling a strange painful sensation in the hollow of my chest. It was as if the death of this vampire was affecting me in some sort of crooked way. Certainly, it could be impossible to develop a Stockholm syndrome in such a short time. I was so focused on Elijah's lifeless body that I did not even notice Rose's escape or even Elena's appearance at the top of the stairs.

In fact, it seems that only my senses were focused on the vampire at the other end of the room. I was not even paying attention to Elena's new rejection when she kissed Stefan in Damon's place. Instead, I took incredibly slow but still curious and decisive steps towards Elijah's corpse. I knew I should hate him like everyone else. In fact, I've more than the others had reason to be hating him.

For starters, he had intended to kidnap me. However, I could not help but feel this attraction towards the vampire.

"Mila? "

I jumped at Stefan's sudden call forcing me to turn around just to see Elena pull away from her boyfriend before rushing towards me.

I barely had time to dodge her hug attempt before quickly composing my indignant expression. "Can we leave now? "

I did not know most of their expressions as I walked directly to the exit before immediately bringing my arms around me once I found myself in the sparkling shine of the sun. I tilted my head slightly, bringing one of my hands over my eyes to barricade myself with blinding rays before I tried to keep going. The sooner I leave this house and the sooner I can forget this strange curiosity about the corpse now inside.

* * *

The return journey consisted of Stefan's constant glances and questions about my sister's well-being, while Damon drove away in dismal silence. Finally, except for his questioning about what we had learned during our captivity.

Personally, I had pretended a deep sleep and recuperate all the way. In this way, I had also been able to listen to Elena explaining her version of the facts about my meeting with Elijah. A version that had the ability to challenge the two vampires in the front as I could easily feel their heavy eyes on my little curled shape farthest from Elena and closest to the door.

The reunion with Jeremy and Bonnie had been equally emotional. I had been watching of my place on the stairs as Elena had exchanged strong words with her best friend and brother before deciding that I had suffered enough today. So I was in front of the two without a word ignoring again the feeling of looks in my back and announced my retirement for the day.

After that, I had immediately got rid of my dress ragged before jumping in a hot shower more than deserved. I was still in shock of the day and I did not really want to get out of this phase again. Otherwise it would mean that I had to admit that what we had learned was real. Including my so-called connection with the world's oldest vampires. I cut the stream of water with a deep, tired sigh before stepping out of the shower, wrapping a towel around my hair to dry it. I looked at my reflection through the mirror with a gloomy look before wrapping a towel around my naked body. I ran my hand along my right shoulder before finally entering my room with a feeling of complete vulnerability.

I was totally and irrevocably lost today. I did not know what to think, let alone what I could do next. It was as if I was going back to zero point. Katherine was no longer there, the plausible chance of getting answers was dead (no pun intended) and Damon was still around.  
I shook my head at the thought of the vampire before I saw my phone resting on my bedside table. I remember leaving it there before going to Katherine's.

I retrieved it in a fluid motion before feeling a new panic settle in my mind at the sight of Felix's texts. I decided to send a message to reassure him that I was alive and well. Then I had to take a break with my eyes on my wide window in thought. It could not really continue like this anymore.

No matter how many times I tried to preserve him, it was obvious that I could not keep him in the shadows now. He was just as much a part of the supernatural world as I was and now, I realized that keeping him in the shadows made him more vulnerable. Not to mention that I was tired of fighting alone. I needed an ally. And who better than my best friend from the beginning.

On this thought, I quickly unrolled my towel around me before going straight to my dresser. I grabbed the first clothes on hand before putting them on the fly. I knotted my long, wet curls in a disheveled bun before grabbing my phone, car keys and a hooded jacket on the way out.

I was almost at the stairs when the agreement in a hushed voice inside Elena's room interrupted me.

Usually, I was wholeheartedly for privacy but I would not be a little sister if I did not listen to doors from time to time.

Unfortunately, my interest was soon stung when I heard a voice too familiar.

"I have something to tell you first. "

Damon.

I leaned more against the half-open door at the vampire's agreement before feeling my breath accelerate in spite of myself.

For some reason, the thought of Damon and Elena together made me feel nauseous. Before this simple thought sent me directly to Stefan.

However, our little different had to change my perception of things. Stefan had chosen to be blind to Damon's actions. He was no longer my ally in this war and although I was missing, I could not revive what we had lost. Not now, at least.

"Say it when I wear my necklace." I heard Elena immediately making me feel a new instinct of protection.

I literally had to contain all that I had in me to stay in this room here and now.

"It's totally personal and it's a first for me. "

I immediately frowned at Damon's admission before straightening my head in suspicion as Elena asked him to stop.

"No, no, I'll only say it once. You just have to listen." Damon insisted, advancing towards my sister if I thought the sound of his footsteps. "I love you, Elena. And it's because I love you that I can't ... that I can't be selfish with you. Nor to leave you this memory."

At this point, I was completely unaware of the rest of the conversation as I brought my hand to my lips to stop myself from making noise before I stepped back in incredulity and another strange feeling. I suddenly felt weird. As if someone had planted a knife on my back again. And that was not even a metaphor since it had happened to me barely two days ago.

Without even realizing it, I felt a tear run down my cheek before biting on my lower lip to hold back a sob. I had always known that Damon was in love with Elena. After all, he did not really hide it. Even then, Isobel made sure to confirm it. Yet to hear him admit it in this way had the gift of reaching me more than I would have imagined.

Without really thinking, I wiped my single tear with a dull twitch of my hand before running down the stairs in a new turmoil of emotion.

Strangely, the stab had been quickly turning into a feeling of anger. I pulled on my hooded jacket on my way out before slamming the front door behind me.

I was looking for my car key among others on my keychain clearly still disturbed by what I had witnessed before rushing into my SUV. I still had to face Felix. It was more important than anything else.

No matter what I had just heard, it did not matter to me. After all, I despised the vampire.

With one last look at our childhood home, I stepped back from the driveway with a whole new state of mind. I was going to fend for myself from now on. It was no longer a question of ridding this city of vampire but of discovering and helping the supernatural beings of this city. Or at least help Felix and me.


	32. Chapter 32 : God is a woman

**Chapter thirty-two : God is a woman**

"Wait, wait, let me understand!" Exclaimed Felix, pacing up and down the floor of his room before he pointed at me in disbelief. "Vampires, werewolf, witches and whoever you are, do they really exist? "

I nodded with a slight grimace before raising my shoulders giving him a hopeful look. " It is that. "

"You bloody joking!" Objected Felix in denial before giving me a new panicked look. "It's a joke, is it?"

I hummed, shaking my head before giving him an even more nervous look. "That's not all, Felix."

"There is more?" He exclaimed in disbelief before passing his bony fingers between his ebony-brown hair.

I took a deep breath as I motioned him to sit on his bed by my side before getting up as he settled down. I suddenly found myself imitating the tall brown as I paced the floor of his room in search of the best way to explain that he too was a supernatural creature that could explode at any moment.

I had spent most of the night explaining the last half-year to the last detail and I still had to tell him that his family was a carrier of the lycanthropic gene. Or at least that the biological father he hated was not enough to leave him a big Will to share with Tyler.

"Okay!" I sighed, releasing my arms by my side before focusing my attention on Felix. "Did you listen when I talked about werewolves? "

"You mean the talk about the Aztec curse and the deadly bite for vampires? "

"Yeah that. But also, on how to become a werewolf?" I was insisting, still seeking the best way to introduce him to his nature. "On the gene passed from generation to generation."

Felix frowned slightly at the sight of my disheveled pace before crossing his arms over his chest. "Speak, Mila. What are you trying to tell me?"

"The Lockwood's come from a long line of werewolf!" I suddenly let out a heavy silence between us as I watched Felix pick up the news.

However, it was before he shook his head abruptly as he rose in denial. " No, no, no ! No way! I'm not ... he couldn't do that! That bastard did-"

Unfortunately, his stimulation was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of my phone. The latter had sounded many times during the last hour and I suspected that it had to do with the fact that I had left without warning anyone. Or at least, I hoped.

Felix took it upon himself to retrieve my phone before suddenly frowning at the sight of Stefan's name flashing on my screen.

"Why is a leech trying to reach you?" He asked with a grin at the mention of Stefan's status.

I rolled my eyes to his look childish before quickly recovering my phone from his hands. I was not long in frowning at the sight of the many missed calls of the two brothers Salvatore as well as Elena.

"Oh, oh, I know that look." I looked up from my screen just to see Felix pointing at me. "You had the same look in the last year. Something important is happening, right? "

I wrinkled my lips as I thought about my next move before suddenly raising my eyes to Felix." Dress yourself! You come with me!"

"What?" He exclaimed with wide eyes before giving a swear as I threw him the first fine sweater under my hand. "Hey, it's cashmere, bitch!"

I had dragged Felix with me the moment he was dressed before quickly driving towards the mansion Salvatore. I was already dreading the reaction of the older brother and the tormented couple to Felix's sight. Only I could not worry less now.

I left the road briefly to give a careful look at the boy by my side before creasing my lips at the sight of his thoughtful look on the outside world. "Felix-"

"I'm going to turn into a monster that's it?" He interrupted me darkly before turning his dark eyes on me gravely. " I'm damned."

I let out a desperate sigh at the sight of his dejected look before shaking my head briskly. "No, you have to activate the transition. You're not a monster."

"Not yet." Darkly insisted Felix before swallowing. "You said it yourself. It started. Mood changes. The tantrums. It's only a matter of time before I-"

He left his statement in suspense, letting me in turn swallow as I thought darkly about what he implied.

Unfortunately, I was unable to accept the fact that Felix could be lethal. He was not a killer. And even less a wild beast. He was just Felix and I was going to do everything I could to keep him that way.

However, it seemed as though our conversation was over as I was noticing the familiar mansion path. I parked behind Elena's red Mini Cooper before shutting down the engine. Now that I thought about it, maybe it was a bad idea to bring Felix on a silver platter.

If Damon ever learned what Felix was really-

"Do I have to worry?" Felix suddenly asked me out of my dark thoughts.

As a sign of response, I simply removed my belt before going down forcing him to do the same. I walked beside him towards the front door before entering without knocking. I felt Felix looking around in amazement as we headed for the living room.

Unfortunately, I certainly had not planned to see the same vampire who had kidnapped me a few days in full stimulation in front of Elena and the brother duo.

"What's that fucking mess?" I exclaimed finally calling the attention of the quartet simply to abruptly intervene in front Felix at the sight of the movement of Damon now standing in front of me. "Don't even think about it!"

The vampire narrowed his stormy eyes on the boy behind me before returning his cold glare on me. "What is he doing here?"

"He's going to plant his fangs in my jugular?" Felix asked suddenly through the thick silence between us, gathering wide and incredulous glances from Elena and Stefan as Damon strengthened his glare.

However, my reaction was quite different since I knew Felix well enough to detect the obvious tone of hope and lust in his statement.

"Ew! Serious?" I exclaimed, turning around under the confused eyes of others.

At least it was until a throat clearing was heard behind us letting me watch Stefan as he got up from the couch. "Mila, what is Felix doing here?"

"Not important. He knows. That's my problem. Made with." I replied in a breath before dragging Felix with me while giving a warning look at Damon as I took a seat in front of Elena with Felix by my side. "So, why send me all these smoke signals?"

A heavy silence ensued as we entered a kind of silent struggle before the worst pain in my back decided to intervene again." Made with? Made with? But who do you think you're a little brat-"

I immediately jumped to my feet as Damon took a long stride across the living room to join me before taking a defensive position as my former kidnapper suddenly interposed between us.

"Hey!" She cried, using her supernatural strength to hold Damon with her hand against his chest before glaring at us. "You don't have time for that! Believe me the threat is real!"

I narrowed my eyes at the vile execrable vampire as he held my gaze defiantly before quickly bringing my attention back to Felix's intervention. " A threat? What threat?"

"If it's okay one!" Damon said as he went back to sit next to Elena bitterly reminding me of the other night.

I narrowed my lips to keep myself from commenting on his intervention before turning my attention to the vampire.

The simple sight was enough to remind me of the decapitation of her relative making me wear a solemn air despite myself. "I'm sorry for Trevor."

The pixie-cut vampire just seemed amazed at my act of compassion just like the rest of the group except for Felix.

However, she just gave me a nod before she started to stimulate the room."Well, don't forget that I only know what I have learned over the years and that I have no idea what is true of what it's not. That's the problem with vampire stories but Klaus, I know he exists."

"Yes and who is it?" Elena asked immediately from her prostrate position on the leather sofa while I suddenly found myself frowning at the mention of our current enemy.

For some reason, I was curious about this famous vampire. It was strangely familiar as feeling to be honest. Almost like with Elij ...

"He's one of the original ones." Damon answered, raising his eyebrows at my sister. "A legend. "

"He's from the first generation of vampires." Stefan added.

"Like Elijah?" I found myself asking in eagerness for the unwanted attention of two ebony heads.

Including that of a boring vampire.

I hastened to ignore the suspicious and suspicious looks of Felix and Damon as Rose advanced in the objection. "No, Elijah was a child of heart compared to Klaus. He was only a henchman. This is Klaus the real danger."

"He is known as the oldest of all." Stefan continued, obviously having been snatched before us.

"I'm sure I want to stay here?" Whispered Felix in my ear visibly intimidating making me roll my eyes with a little grin despite myself.

The feeling of a gloomy look at our duo interrupted me leaving me to mimic a grimace on the irritating vampire before returning my eyes on Elena to her intervention. "Um, a second ... so what you're saying is that the oldest vampire of all time is on my heels and he's going to pick on me?"

"That, that sucks!"

I tried to hold back my smile as I gave Felix a new look over my shoulder before turning back to the rest of the group raising an eyebrow at the sight of the three vampires' attention.

However, it was before Stefan and Damon hastened to reassure Elena, unlike Rose. Before being contradicted again by Damon obviously."What she's saying, or rather, if it's true-"

"Which is the case!" Assured Rose in boredom.

"And you don't say that just to be spared-"

"Which is not the case!" Objected Rose again, resting her hands on her hips.

I rolled my eyes to the small altercation before biting the inside of my cheek to the acceptance of Damon. "We can assume that it's ... probable."

A slight silence settled on us as Elena took a deep breath before Felix timidly raised his hand."Uh ... can I ask a question? "

"You just did it!" Damon replied immediately with a roll of his stormy eyes making me lock my fists on my thighs before making eye contact with Stefan.

"Don't pay attention to him!" I grumbled before turning to Felix as he spoke in hesitation.

"Okay, maybe I'm still new to everything-"

"You know anything." Damon interrupted, raising Felix's sudden frown.

I was acting even before I could think as I put a hand on the shoulder of the brown before throwing a flash on the vampire now staring us warily.

I felt Felix take a slight breath before he turned to Rose with his jaw clenched. "I don't want to be self-centered, but what does it have to do with Mila? You kidnapped her too, right?"

The attention immediately turned to Rose as she put her eyes on me with a different air of gravity. It was as if her fear had been doubled or quadrupled in a moment.

"You're an entire myth." She blurted again, making me swallow in a deep, bad feeling. "The look-alikes have always existed but you ... there has never been any proof of your existence."

"What do you mean?" Intervened Elena, giving me a split look between fear and perplexity."What are you saying? An entire myth?"

Unfortunately, my instinct told me that I already knew what she was talking about. I was not as human as I thought.

"I don't understand, are you saying that Mila is not-"

"Human? We don't really know what she is." Rose interrupted, shrugging her shoulders before giving me a serious look."But it's certain she's related to the Originals."

Suddenly, a scoffed was heard coming from the annoying vampire making me give him a scathing look as he strutted into the living room pointing at me in disbelief. "Are you seriously telling us that this little ... execrable, impossible brat is related to the most deadly and powerful vampire in the old world?"

Rose gave a glance between me and the vampire with her wrinkled lips before silently nodding her head, receiving another scoff from the annoying vampire.

"Now, I know you're lying."

"Damon!" Intervened Elena with a warning look at the vampire before giving me a worried look as she addressed Rose. "How can you be sure? I mean no one has talked about it before. Even Katherine didn't say anything about it."

Honestly, I did not really understand why it was Elena who was asking questions when it concerned me. But I supposed it was my sister's strong point. She loved the attention.

I could be confused and the slight panic confusing my mind for a moment before I returned my empty eyes to Rose as she spoke again.

The latter turned to me with a look almost contrite as she remembered a time when everything was easier for her and Trevor. "It was a little before Katerina came to our land, Trevor and I were in the service of the Originals, and as you could see, Mila, Trevor tended to put himself in situations where he did not have to find himself."

I could feel every eye on me as I listened carefully for Rose's account in a bad feeling. It made no sense and yet I could not wait to hear more. I wanted to get the answers that plagued my mind for several months now.

Strangely, my strange dreams resurface in my mind.

However, it would seem that I could not give more thoughts to it as Felix's voice pops up beside me with a slight teasing accent."Hm, should we talk about this Trevor?"

I immediately felt a blush settle down my cheeks as I threw an annoyed look at the brown before shaking my head as I looked back at Rose.

Unfortunately, it was Damon's that I met first. The latter seemed to look at Felix with a bad eye before turning to me with an unreadable look.

I immediately turned my eyes away from the vampire before turning to Rose in slight impatience. "What does it have to do with me?"

"One day Trevor found himself poking around the castle." Rose smiled making me wince as I could feel Felix's attitude changing to Castle's mention. Obviously, he was not really used to this crazy world yet. "That's when he came across your portrait, it was drawn on an old animal skin and the ink was almost erased, there was a name on the bottom of the page, on the right, _Milana_."

"Elijah called her that!" Elena gasped as she gave me a panicked look.

I could not help but gesticulate awkwardly on the couch to the attention of me before meeting Stefan's green forest gaze. The latter was wearing his broody look number thirty-three as he lowered his eyes to his hand tied to that of my sister before returning his eyes attentive on me. He held my gaze in silence, letting me imagine his worried thoughts about me before turning to Rose again in anxiety and mild confusion.

"But it's impossible." I was thinking of one last hope of mental health."I'm not a double, I mean, I have a twin but a double? Ho-how?"

I shook my head as I could feel the panic catch up to me before I jumped at the feeling of Felix's hand on my shoulder. I stood, ignoring the eyes of most of the group on me before I began to stimulate back and forth.

"I'm not a supernatural freak, it's impossible that my life is so damned!"

"I only tell you what I know." Rose commented with a sorry look on my anxious back.

I shook my head again as I felt a headache about to point the tip of his nose before glancing at the vampire at his intervention. "Look what you did, you panicked our little Gilbert."

I concentrated all my confusion and panic in anger before glaring at the vampire."You can't shut up for once!"

A heavy silence fell immediately on our group at my explosion as I supported the narrowed gaze of the vampire. The latter probably weighed the pros and cons of tearing my head.

However, I knew the vampire well enough to know he would never do that. After all, Elena was in the room.

Instead, I turned my eyes away from the vampire with renewed confidence before ignoring most of the tense looks as I focused my attention back on Rose."What else do you know?"

"Except that Klaus's threat is very real and imminent?" Sarcastically replied the old vampire before having the decency to look contrite as she shrugged her shoulders."I don't know much about you."

I restrained myself from sighing aloud as I walked away from the vampire on my right to join Felix's side on the arm of the chair. I crossed my arms over my chest as I lowered my eyes on the end of my shoes thoughtfully. It left me with few answers and even more questions.  
Worse, it seems that I had also fallen into the box of damsel in distress like my sister.

However, Rose's sudden statement called me again. "Maybe I don't know anything about you, but Katerina must know more."

I widened my eyes in a burst of hope before tightening my jaw at the mere thought of the bitch.

A fact also shared by Damon as the latter muttered a sarcastic response."The bitch is a little busy right now."

"Wait, when you talk about Katerina, you mean that vampire with whom you made a deal, Mila?" Intervened suddenly Felix freezing me on the spot.

I kept my eyes on my sneakers as I could feel all the attention on me before giving a dark look at the brown at my side.

"A deal?" Elena asked, still noticeably vague about this. "Mila, what's he talking about?"

"Yeah, Mila, what's he talking about?" The vampire commented in a soft tone.

I immediately raised my eyes with a hateful look on the vampire in annoyance. "Mind your damn business."

"Mila, what did you do?" Elena insisted, letting me roll my eyes as I looked at her.

I shrugged nonchalantly before revealing the truth about my affiliation with Katherine. I obviously kept the part on Felix's involvement for myself. By the way, I could feel the latter stiffen a bit when I explained my motivations before ending on a bitter note as I recalled the vampire's betrayal. Her shocked look was obviously expected as she babbled in search of an answer while giving incredulous glances between the Salvatore brothers.

Finally, her gaze soon turned to that of anger and disappointment as she shook her head on me with superiority. "You helped Katherine."

"Yep, and she got stabbed in the back!" Intervened Damon with a mean smile at the implication of his words. "Literally."

"Oh, go to hell!" I gasped indignantly before turning my eyes to Elena.

"How could you do this to me?"

This time, I rolled my eyes to her execrable selfishness before turning to Rose with the intention of ignoring her. "So now that Elijah is dead ... what will happen?"

"Well, I guess Klaus is coming for you."

Nevertheless, Stefan hastened to intervene, advancing towards me and Elena."Listen, Elijah is dead before he can talk about you two so nobody knows about it."

"At least not that you know. "

"That doesn't help us." Damon commented, giving Rose a look.

"In any case I don't know anyone who's seen Klaus with his own eyes." Stefan rekindled reassuringly, making me want to roll my eyes this time. "There are many centuries of truth mixed with ... fiction. We don't know what we can believe. Nothing proves that it's not just a storyteller. "

"Oh of course! Like this Elijah guy who doesn't exist." Felix commented, pointing to me as a sign of agreement soon joined by Rose.

"He exists for real! And he never gives up. When he wants something, he gets it!" Rose insisted with animation before quickly turning to me. "Even more when he learns your existence. He will be more determined than ever. If you are not afraid of him you are morons!"

"Yes, it's good we're scared!" Damon commented again sarcastically, reaching my limit.

I shook my head, beckoning Felix to get up before walking towards the exit.

"Hey, where are you going like this? "

I stopped to turn to Stefan before giving him a sharp look. "Not that it's really concerns you, but we're going to high school."

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Elena exclaimed, leaping to her feet and I immediately giving her an incredulous look.

"Yeah, I'm old enough to go on my own!"

I shook my head as Elena displayed a hurt expression before turning on my heel, dragging Felix with me. I paused by leaning on the hood of my SUV before wearing a pensive expression. I narrowed my lips as I glanced over my shoulder at the boarding house before looking down at the hood. I could feel the presence of Felix on my profile as I quickly connected the points. Then, I sat up suddenly before taking the keys of my SUV from the pocket of my jacket in determination.

"We don't really go to high school, right?" Felix asked in a bad feeling at the sight of my determined expression.

"The high school will be useless if this Klaus comes to Mystic Falls." I replied darkly while opening my door to get behind the wheel.

Felix hastened to imitate me before buckling his belt as I stepped back into the woods with a determined expression.

An expression that Felix hastened to comment. "So ... uh ... it was rather tense over there. "

I was amplifying my frown through the windshield before going through a new gear while giving a questioning glance at the brown to find out where he was going.

However, I was not slow to display a frowning expression to his suggestive expression. " Don't even think about it. "

"Come on, Mila! I know you hate him but at this point? "

"He's lucky that I tolerate him. "

"I didn't know you could be such a vindictive slut. "

I gave him a dark side look in the offense before leaving me a little smirk bend my lips. He was probably the only person able to get a smile out of me in such a moment. I had just learned that a portrait of myself had been found five years ago in someone else's possession and yet I smiled. Admittedly, it was a faint smile barely perceptible but it was still that. And it was thanks to Felix. I finally cut the engine once we were deep enough in the woods before going down at the same time as Felix.

The latter scanned the surroundings with a glance before giving me an air of judgment. "Why are we here already? "

"I have a business to finish with some bitch." I answered simply before starting our trek through the woods.

I was not long in perceiving the old remains of stone still standing alerting Felix as he approached me. I let a new smile curl my lips as I turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"What? I hate the forest." He forbade me to shake my head in amusement before suddenly stopping with a raised hand at the agreement of two distinct voices. " What's the matter?"

"Shhh! "

I immediately pulled Felix by his sleeve to kneel at my side before looking discreetly over the brick.

However, it would seem that we did not have to wait long to find out who the other voices belonged to as a familiar blonde head pops up next to my dear older sister. I held a swear word as I came out of my hiding place with my arms crossed alerting the duo immediately as Felix joined me.

"Mila? Felix?" Exclaims Elena, stopping with a grimace as she seemed to be carrying a heavy leather bag.

Caroline immediately threw her head back before pointing to us. "Seriously? Not you too! "

"You should be in high school! "Reprimanded Elena making me sniff disdainfully.

Even Caroline gave an incredulous look at the brunette by her side before turning to us. "It's out of the question for me to lie for you too! You know I don't know how to lie, Mila! "

"It's a chance I'm good at it then." Suddenly intervened Felix taking a step forward making me look at him with a raised eyebrow."What? The chances that I can ignore all this chaos are about zero, right?"

His statement aroused curious glances from the duo in front of us but I just nodded, shrugging my shoulders in acceptance. Felix was now part of this world. And as selfish as it sounds, I was relieved. I did not have to lie to him anymore. With the promise of Felix assuring the back of Caroline with Stefan, I took the lead of the group to go down into the crypt. Obviously, Caroline still seemed the most reluctant about the plan as she tried to reason Elena once again when we were down. Obviously, she already knew that it would be useless to try to argue with me.

"I need to know Caroline." Elena insisted in a final tone, giving the blonde a long sigh of resilience.

I was already heading for the heavy stone blocking the entrance to the crypt before being quickly joined by the new vampire. I leaned against the stone entrance, crossing my arms over my chest before displaying a slight smile as Felix let out an exhilarated breath to Caroline's superhuman show of strength.

The latter herself pushed the stone before giving way to Elena who walked slowly towards the entrance. "Katherine?"

I rolled my eyes at her frightened look before turning my clear eyes to the darkness in front of us. "Bitch manipulative, it's time to wake up!" I grumbled less intimidated by the five-hundred-year-old vampire.

We waited a moment before suddenly hearing a shuffling sound. I straightened immediately in anticipation as I watched the weak vampire make her way into the light under the watchful eyes of the trio. She was so pitiful that she stumbled against the stone before giving a condescending look at her copy.

"Hello Elena."

A heavy silence fell on our group before Felix suddenly dropped a breath scared pointing Elena and Katherine in the confusion. "What ... fuck, it's ... she's you!"

I rolled my eyes despite myself as Katherine turned her attention to Felix before tightening my jaw as the vampire immediately turned to me with a faint smirk. "You brought the second Lockwood to what I see. "

I immediately gave the vampire a deadly glow as the expected reaction of Elena and Caroline made themselves known. "Lockwood?!"

"How it is possible?" Elena exclaimed stupidly, making me want to stick a fork in her eye at her lack of speed.

"Simple. The great Mayor Lockwood and Mom Fell have not been faithful." Katherine rekindled in jubilation making me give her a new flash of warning.

"I'm not a Lockwood!" Felix growled, alerting Caroline as she took a step back in the realization.

It seemed to reach Felix as he suddenly looked downcast in realization. I immediately approached him by putting my hand on his forearm before giving him a reassuring look. "You should go back up. "

Felix gave a scathing look at the vampire in the crypt before sighing at Caroline as he climbed the stairs. " A vampire. And yet she's always afraid of difference. "

I gave Felix a sad look at his statement before turning to Katerina indignantly.

The latter gave me a huge smirk before raising an eyebrow. "Are you coming to watch me wither?"

"If it were up to me, I would have stuck a stake in your heart!"

"Ouch!" False the vampire before giving a disdainful look at the blonde in the background."Bye, Caroline! "

I gave a nod to the blonde before giving a new look on the stairs. "He didn't trigger his transfer. At least try to treat him like everyone else."

Caroline still looked remorseful as she nodded before finally leaving us alone letting me turn to Katherine coldly. I was slowly settling on the dusty floor just as Elena stepped forward, throwing the bag on one of the raised rocks, giving an air of disdain to the vampire. The latter really looked like her five hundred years for once. Her skin was excruciatingly pale due to lack of blood, and her masked ballroom was now reduced to a rag. Seeing Katherine and Elena together was certainly a stark contrast. They were so similar yet so different.

"Stefan knows you're here?" The vampire asked me out of my observation as Elena turned to her.

"I brought you, two, three things."

"Do you think you can buy me? Tell me what you want!" Demanded the vampire clearly not impressed by the small act of my sister.

To be honest, I was not either.

The latter threw a stack of business on the ground before supporting the look of Katherine already giving me want to hit my head against the brick to her lack of strategy. "I want you to talk to me about Klaus."

"Mhmmm ..." Katherine whispered, setting her sights on me with an arched eyebrow. "She doesn't really understand the meaning of bargaining, huh?"

"Maybe, but me, yes!" I replied, helping me from the wall to straighten up before gently pushing Elena out of the bag to see what else she had brought.

I was not long in finding the Petrova family book alongside a bottle of blood letting me catch the old book in the first place before turning back to the vampire.

"The story of your family. Sounds a bell for you?"I asked, holding the book in focus.

"Do you think I'm going to confide because you bring me family memories?"

Elena pushed me in my turn before taking the bottle of blood with a daring air."I brought that too! "

This triggered an instant reaction from the vampire as she threw herself literally against the invisible barrier yet still Elena recoiling.

Katherine visibly struggled against the fence as Elena posed beside me condescendingly. "You don't look so good. How long will it take before you desiccated? Ten or twenty years? It must be painful to desiccated and get mummified. I can't even imagine."

Finally, Katherine pulled back before sliding down the wall to sit on the floor. I immediately took the bottle from Elena's hands before pouring a little into a plastic cup she had brought. I approached the edge of the entrance to the crypt under the glance shared between the annoyance and amusement of Katherine before laying the blood within reach.

The latter hastened to consume it before giving a look over my shoulder on Elena. "You have the passion of the Petrova. "

"The bottle, Elena." I asked, holding one hand back in expectation without ever leaving the vampire's eyes.

I was serving Katherine again before putting it back in range."It's a long story. Klaus and me. But you, Mila, it goes back well before my time. Klaus and I go back to England. In 1492 after I left Bulgaria. Or rather, when they chased me away. "

I raised an eyebrow not obviously touched by the story of the vampire unlike Elena. "You have been chased? "

I immediately gave a look at my sister in disbelief before settling against the wall with my knees close to my chest. I was pressing one of my arms on my right knee while leaning my head against the wall to keep an eye on the vampire.

The latter raised an eyebrow of judgment on my older sister before turning to me with a grimace almost disgusted with her momentum of compassion. "She's for real?"

I immediately bent my head against the stone with a non-impressed expression before nonchalantly shrugging my shoulders. "No longer so worthy of the Petrova, huh?"

I could perfectly feel the incredulous and almost betrayed look of my sister as Katherine left a glowing smile before rolling her eyes at the sight of Elena's face.

"My family. You're real ancestors. They denied me. My misbehavior was not tolerated at the time. I had a child out of wedlock. Shame!"

"It was kept secret."

"Mm, mhm. My baby was abandoned. They banished me, sent me to England where I had to learn to adapt quickly. So, I quickly became English." Katherine explained as I give a sharp look at the vampire as she turned back to me. "This is where I caught the attention of a noble named Klaus. He dazzled me at first, then I discovered what he was and what interested him in me. So, I ran like crazy."

"This is where Trevor stupidly trusted you." I commented coldly, giving a vivid glance at the vampire.

The latter raised an amused eyebrow before turning her head towards me with a small grin."Men have always been weak, but they're horribly fun to handle."

I let out a sigh, straightening up clearly weary of the vampire's little games before crossing my arms over my chest in impatience. "Noted. What did Klaus want with you?"

"The same as what interests him in our little Elena. He wants to break the curse."

"For that you have to sacrifice double Petrova." Elena realized making me squeeze my jaw in a bad feeling.

However, Katherine hastened to pick up the thread of the conversation. "He was going to empty me of my blood until no more a drop circulated in my veins. "

I gave Katherine a sharp look as I could see the fear settling in my sister's before intervening with sarcasm. "Maybe he was tired of your quarrel queen quirks."

Katherine left a hoarse laugh still visibly weak despite the little blood flowing through her veins before giving me a sarcastic look in her turn. "You're fooling anyone, Mila."

"What makes us sure you're not lying to us as usual?" I replied clearly annoyed by the vampire's little spades.

"The spell was sealed by the blood sacrifice of the Petrova!" Katherine snapped, making me bite the inside of my cheek as the vampire gave me a sharp look. "Witches insure with their spells."

I immediately gave Elena a worried look, as I fully realized the danger, she was in. It was no longer a simple story to frighten children at night. The more we spent time with Katerina and the more it all seemed real.

"The double has been created. A key to breaking the curse." Katherine continued, swallowing the cup of blood that Elena handed her with a piece of wood."It had to be realized that the double reappeared so that the spell could be broken. "

"So, basically, you have been a pale copy of Dawn Summers." I absently said sarcastically before nonchalantly shrugging my shoulders as I came across the perplexed and bored looks of the look-alikes. "What? Buffy against the vampires. It's a classic. "

Elena rolled her eyes at her sister's antiques before turning her attention to the vampire impatiently. "So, you ran away so he would not kill you? "

"Pretty much!"

"Can you answer with concrete sentences? Words? Mm?" I was impatient at the frustration that sparked Katherine's glare.

The latter readjusted her head against the wall before giving me an arrogant smile. "Isobel had found this old story. The look-alike could bring the supernatural to her. Like a beacon. And what is more supernatural than a reincarnated spirit? A wandering soul traveling from body to body without ever remembering who he really is. "

I felt my breath get stuck in my throat as I could feel Elena's listless look traveling between Katherine and me.

She amplified her smile before turning her attention to my sister's question. "You mean that Mila is-"

"An entity over 1000 years old stuck in the body of a poor teenager of just sixteen. "

I froze at the agreement of the vampire's revelation before abruptly retreating as Elena tried to reach me.

"No!" I said, raising my hand before shaking my head clearly upset by this news. "I need-I need-I have to get some fresh air. "

I was not expecting Elena as I climbed the stairs four at a time in a feeling of oppression before stopping only once in the open air. I stopped suddenly in the middle of the ruins while supporting me on my thighs to catch my breath before closing my closed eyelids as I could feel the accumulation of tears behind my eyes.

However, the step agreement from the ruins was not long in calling me. I forced myself to straighten up by quickly wiping my weakness from my face before taking a deep breath as Elena stopped by my side.

"Hey, you know Katherine is just trying to play with you, Mila. Nothing proves that what she says is true. "

The latter even went so far as to put her hand on my shoulder immediately causing a jolt on my part.

"I'm fine." I snapped, clearly not wanting my sister's pity before stopping me from her objection.

"It's not true and you know it." I immediately turned on my heels to face her before raising an incredulous eyebrow as she continued."You're not well, Mil. And you have not been for a long time. "

I could not help the disdain of passing my lips as I shook my head on my sister's selfishness before shaking my head with irritation."Since when do you care about what's going on in my life? You're a double Petrova after all. We don't care that I'm in the hot seat too."

I could see Elena's familiar expression of contempt on her heart-shaped face just making me want to hit her. The fact that she looked like Katherine immensely did not help the situation.

"If you did not act so oddly then maybe people would want to save you too!" She judged arrogantly, literally leaving me speechless.

"Yeah, except that unlike you, I do not need to be saved!" I replied with disdain as I narrowed my eyes to her in an act of anger."Honestly, Elena, you're not tired of playing the damsels in distress - being the freacking reason that destroys everyone's life - Jer, me, Jenna, Bonnie, Caroline ... all that's is happen because of you! Jer, Bonnie and Caroline are involved in all this mess because of you! Hell, the parents are dead because of you! "

I took a quick break in the realization as Elena took a strangled breath under the weight of my accusation.

I clenched my fist at my side in a deep guilt before shaking my head briskly to try to keep her eyes on the edge of tears."Y-you think that ... I killed them?"

"Elena ..." I gasped as I took a step in her direction only, she took a step back.

"That's why you signed up for this internship to get away from here, to get away from me?" She asked, reviving my anger as she reported my actions back to her little person.

"You really have to always bring everything around you, huh." I exclaimed in a bitter tone."The attention that parents have always given you were not enough? You have to bring everything I do to you now? What? You think it's unfair? Painful? Well, try to live with someone you admired before you find out who she really is!"

"Mila…" She whispered in realization with a sniff before trying to reach me again. "You know it was never my attention, that I never wanted to-"

"Of course, yes, perfect Elena would never want to do such a thing, it's unimaginable, right?" I interrupted her dryly before just shaking my head in the rejection. "Clearly, you don't understand, or rather you don't want to understand, as far as I'm concerned, I have nothing more to say to you."

I was not risking a glance at the brunette as I entered the crypt with a determined step before stopping me net against the weakened body of one of my too many plagues.

"Enough to play! Clearly, you are still here to rot our life. So that brings up a question: how did you manage to escape this other psychopath? "

I was not really in the mood for the vampire's quick wits. All I wanted was to find a way to survive. And the sooner the better.

"Well, as you said I'm here, right?" She replied nonchalantly just as Elena made her way back to us.

Elena wiped her cheeks away with a sad look at me before she tried to look a little intimidating despite her deplorable state."You killed yourself to escape Klaus? "

This sparked Katherine's slightly intrigued look as she swerved back and forth between my sister and me with a mischievous smile. "I feel a slight tension. You finally realize that I was right from the beginning, Mila?"

"What?" Elena asked at once, looking back at Katherine and me before I rolled my eyes as she turned accusingly at the vampire. "It was you who put all these ideas in her head, you compelled her?"

"Oh for god sake's!"

"Me?" Katherine signing her chest before giving me a cheerful look on my person."Sorry Elena but it's all up to her, it's not really surprising if you want my opinion-"

"We didn't ask you anything!"

"You've treated Mila as a secondary character since all this time." Katherine kept narrowing my eyes at her in irritation."You should have understood for a long time that she's so much more than that, she's more than you'll ever be, Elena."

Even if it came from a five-hundred-year-old manipulative vampire, I had to admit that part of me was grateful. Maybe that was why I had always had a kind of tolerance towards her. She was all that Elena was not with me.

What I always wanted from her.

I could feel my sister's gaze on me as Katherine let her words linger in the air before sliding against the rock to resume a more comfortable position."Klaus needed a double human. Vampire, you were no longer useful to him."

I was carefully eyeing the vampire as she almost affectionately traced her family Bible before she rolled her eyes at Elena's next request. " But that didn't work. You never really escaped Klaus. You fled for centuries. "

"I had underestimated his spirit of revenge." Katherine replied with a jerk of her head before continuing. "But I preferred my suitcases ready to fly, then sacrifice my blood to a ridiculous stone. "

I tilted my head slightly to the side with a grimace in understanding before quickly shrugging my shoulders as Elena gave me a look of reprimand.

However, she did not take long to look away as Katherine's disturbing words finally seemed to sink into her little self-centered mind.

A fact that the vampire knew well as she gave a false pout concerned my older sister. "Aw, what is it? Are you afraid I'm right? You don't want to die? There is a way."

I immediately frowned as I watched the vampire cut her wrist with one of her nails before stiffening suddenly in spite of myself. I watched her flesh stitch itself up with a feeling almost ... of envy.

Another fact that Katherine seemed to realize as she gave me a big smile surprised."Well, now I see the true spirit of survival of Petrova."

"What?" Elena exclaimed at once in perplexity before turning to me at the sight of Katherine's insistent gaze simply to widen her eyes in the realization. "Mila, you don't think-"

I swallowed awkwardly as I realized too late what I had really weighed in my mind before I quickly cleared my throat as I turned to Katherine again as if nothing had happened. "What happened after?"

"I completed the transition and ran away." Katherine said, shrugging her shoulders indifferently.

"Trevor is dead because of you." I gasped indignantly before sighing in frustration. "Of course, you don't care."

"Don't pretend you don't understand me, Mila." Katherine snapped with an expression almost hurt. "I had to think of myself. I would always think of myself."

Elena gave us another shocked look before turning to me as I crossed my arms over my chest in a sign of defense. "We are nothing like you."

"Are you sure?" Katerina replied with a slight, defiant smile calling Elena again. "Except our wanna be little werewolf, who do you really care about here? Little Jeremy? Jenna? Elena? Well, I doubt Elena is still on the list."

She finished giving a sharp glance at my sister clearly still confused about her involvement before turning to me. "Mila? What is she talking about?"

Fortunately for me, my phone suddenly rang, letting me watch my screen as a diversion before giving Elena a look to be calm as I answered Felix's call.

"We have a red code! Red code, Mila! Stefan, who has a great ass by the way, out of the Grill. Blondie has messed up!"

"Felix, hold him back! Please!" I hung up quickly before turning to Katherine again, impatiently. "Okay so you loved your long years of flying. And yet you came back here to deliver Elena."

"With you, as a bonus!" The brunette slammed her family bible closed before using the stone wall to straighten up with a grimace. "It's been five hundred years since I fled Klaus. I thought he might agree to make a deal. "

"So, you sent Mason Lockwood for the stone." Elena realized with confidence. "What else is needed to break the spell? "

I immediately frowned at my sister's statement before lowering my eyes to the earthy floor as I remembered most of Katherine's actions since her arrival while she was just taunting Elena. She had absolutely wanted to trigger Tyler's curse. I already knew he had a role but now I was more and more afraid.

The wheels were added to each other as I suddenly lifted my head in a gasping breath."Caroline! "

"Ha!" She exclaimed with enthusiasm before pointing at me. "And my dedication goes again to Mila. I guess I could have chosen anyone but I love Caroline's poetry! Plus, it was particularly interesting to see you help her. You, helping a vampire in transition. Oh, sweet irony! "

I restrained myself from throwing myself at the vampire as I glared at her before glancing at Elena as she stepped toward the vampire in outrage."Then you would all deliver us knowing that he was going to sacrifice us!"

"Bip! Something tells me that he doesn't intend to sacrifice our sweet Mila!"

The vampire sent me a playful wink that just made me want to throw up before turning my back on the duet. I went up the stone stairs just to suddenly stop at the sight of a certain vampire with forest eyes suddenly in front of me.

I almost failed to fall back if it was not for his quick reflexes. "Mila? Where is Elena? "

At that moment, I lost every ounce of faith in Stefan as I rejected his contact with irritation before exceeding him with resentment. "I'm fine, thank you for asking! "

"No-Mila, wait!" I heard Stefan's pleading as I continued to walk away from the ruins with a deep sense of exasperation.

Unfortunately I was not long in stopping me as realization of Katherine's revelations hit me. And hard. Caroline, Tyler, Bonnie, Elena, that was just the beginning. They were not the only ones in danger. I was in danger. But above all, Felix was all the more so than before.

At the thought, I was looking for my phone in my pocket before going out to dial the number of Felix in a hurry.

I took my phone to my ear and started walking through the woods before swearing aloud to Brown's voicemail agreement. "Shit, Felix! "

I started at once in a frantic race through the woods before stopping abruptly at the agreement of the ringing of my phone.

I stopped, panting before releasing a deep breath of relief at the sight of Felix's name. "Oh, thank god, are you, all right? "

" Well yes?" Replied the brown with slight hesitation before quickly resuming in a worried tone. "Wait, why are you out of breath?"

I caught my breath looking nervously around me before swallowing hard. "Felix, prepare your suitcases. We're going to take a little trip out of the city. "


	33. Chapter 33 : Crave you

_**Hey everybody**_

 _ **I know I have put some time for this new update but believe me this new chapter is worth the detour. We will finally have a new development in the situation of sacrifice. Mila and Felix are going to have a tough dilemma to face and Mila will experience new feelings. In particular with one of our possible suitors.  
**_

 _ **Anyway, a real thank you to all these Guest's and readers for your comments that make me want to write more of the adventures of Mila.  
**_

 _ **You guys are great.**_

* * *

 **Chapter thirty-three : Crave you**

 _"Mila, it's me again! Your sister, Elena! Do you remember? Before you go on the run with your best friend after Katherine told us that Klaus wanted to sacrifice us. "_

I shook my head at the agreement of the dramatic message of my sister before moving on to the next.

 _"Mila, call me back! It's urgent! Stefan and Damon want to make a deal with Katherine to get the moonstone. We can't let them do that! Please answer me! Just to know if you're alive!"_

I was pausing the agreement of this message clearly more intertwined by this new source of information before taking a look over my shoulder at the restaurant in which we had stopped. The sight of Felix swallowing half of my breakfast made me shake my head with a brief smile before a new message from Elena called out to me.

 _"Ok, Mila, I know you don't want to be found or even that you only think about protecting Felix but I found a way to get more information about Klaus. Rose has this friend, Slater. I'll convince her to take me to see him. You're the only one I can trust to accompany me ... so if you have this message ... please, Mila, join us. I'll text you the address. "_ _  
_  
I swallowed as the automated voice announced that the message was removed before I put my phone back in the pocket of my jeans as I made my way to the restaurant entrance. I forced a slight smile on my lips as the waitress greeted me again on my way before settling in the seat in front of Felix's, calling his attention.

"So ? What the News in the world of monsters? "

I gave a visibly uninhibited look at the sarcasm of the brown before taking a piece of bacon with my fingers on his plate."Well, Jenna and your parents are furious. Tyler is overwhelmed by the situation- "

"As we all."

"Stefan and Damon want to free Katherine from the crypt in exchange for the moonstone. And Elena wants us to join her to investigate the backs of Mystic Falls scout vampires."

Felix lifted his head at once, chewing on his mouthful of scrambled eggs before swallowing with a sharp look in my direction. "I thought the goal of this run was to avoid Scooby-gang problems."

I immediately released a deep breath in agreement with the brown before crossing my arms while glancing at my SUV through the window of the restaurant. I knew that running away was an act of utter cowardice and selfishness, but after the conversation with Katherine, it seemed like the best way. Katherine and I were similar if running away was my first solution. The vampire knew it from the beginning. With the exception that it was not really for me that I had fled but for Felix. He was still human and he had not yet been involved in my life to no longer have an emergency exit.

The truth was that I had hoped that this trip would allow him to see that he could have a choice. He could flee, have a real life instead of hoping and collecting registration forms in the hope that one day he might leave this cursed city.

The sudden sensation of a hand covering mine took me out of my thoughts. I immediately turned my head to the author of this contact just to make eye contact with Felix.

"You know you do not have to carry that weight alone? Like it or not, I'm involved now too. "

I let out a new sigh as I cleared my hand visibly in opposition before shaking my head in the hustle and bustle. "Not so involved that you can't escape. "

"That's it?" He snorted in frustration before leaning against the back of the seat in annoyance."How many times will I have to tell you that I will not let you fend for yourself from now on?"

"So what?" I replied sharply before leaning over the table watching the busy restaurant before mumbling again. "You want to kill someone and start your curse? You want to feel all the bones in your body break before you turn into a beast?"

I saw Felix's expression fall instantly at the mention of his plausible destiny before he resumed with difficulty. "First of all, I could have done without the booster shot. Then I'm going nowhere now that it's settled ... we're going to join your sister yes or no?!"

I took a moment to look at the brown in a deep sense of mutual admiration and irritation before pulling out my wallet to pay for our lunch.

I put the bills on the table before getting up giving a look at Felix. "Don't come to complain when you start sniffing streetlights."

"I'll make sure you bring the ball back." He replied immediately with a sarcastic grin making me smile slightly in spite of myself.

Finally after a long journey of more than two hours, the apartment of this Slether soon came into view. I quickly found a parking place before turning off the engine by giving a look at Felix.

The latter watched the facade before turning back to me. "Well, I guess even vampires have money problems!"

"Because he doesn't live in an immense building dating from the founders, it doesn't mean that he's poor." I said as I stepped out of the cockpit before straightening my denim jacket as I made my way to the entrance to the stairs.

"Maybe, but he definitely lacks taste."

I rolled my eyes as I pulled the front door before quickly surveying the stairwell as the doors closed behind us. Felix was the first to climb the stairs visibly less on his guard before I quickly following him.

"Are you sure to see your sister again soon after-"

"I'm fine, Felix." I interrupted quickly before raising an eyebrow as he paused in the middle of the stairs.

I immediately leaned against the rail in anticipation before crossing my arms over my chest as he gave me a skeptical look."You literally accused your sister of indirectly killing your parents, as well as the grandmother of our witchy local and our perky cheeleade-"

"I get it, Felix." I interrupted him again in his sarcastic rant before giving him a serious look."Right now, my feelings are the last of my worries."

"Do you know what happens when we hold back our feelings too much?" The brown immediately replied, letting me narrow my eyes to the back of his head as he resumed his climb up the stairs."We're exploding, bam, and take that from a time bomb."

I rolled my eyes to his own name for himself before swallowing with a breath. "If you think I'm going to pity you then you better rethink it."

"Oh, no, I didn't even think about it, you're way too bitchy for that."

I let a real smile on my lips as I shook my head on the brown before stopping as he finally stopped in front of the door number indicated in Elena's message.

"You're aware that entering without permission is a sign of break-in?" I gave a sarcastic look at the brown before taking a step inside without consideration. "Of course, go ahead!"

I ignored Brown's comment as I took slow steps inside the loft.

"What are you doing here?" A voice who began to sound familiar, instantly making me jump.

"Sweet Jesus!" Exclaimed Felix in a jolt at my side before giving a disgusted growl at the sight of a gray-toned body on the floor. "Ew! Scary! "

The sudden sound of foot forced me to detach my eyes from the vampire corpse and Rose hovering over it just to make me wrinkle my lips at the sight of a sneaking Elena around her.

"Thank God, you're fine!" She exclaimed, throwing herself on my neck before squeezing me against her.

I stood frozen for a moment with my arms hovering over her back before cleared my throat awkwardly as I pulled away to give a new look at the dead vampire.

"You call her?" Rose asked dryly visibly irritated for some reason. "Are you aware that Damon was ready to set the town on fire when he heard that she had run away?"

I immediately crossed my arms over my chest visibly offended by the vampire's irritating consideration before turning to Elena. "What did you hope to find?"

"That's the question everyone is asking." Rose intervened in a grunt as she took care of pulling the vampire's body on the ground.

I was just giving a second look at the duo as Elena gave Felix and me a look before signing us to follow her."Rose and Damon were attacked the first time they came here to get answers. It's probably the same person who killed Slether for the info he had."

"Whoa, a real Nancy Drew." Quietly commented Felix leaning over to me as Elena was actively searching through the vampire's papers.

"Yeah, surely to stop him from reaching us." Rose intervened again, joining us with a sharp look at Felix. "He was a real mine of information on vampires. The fact of knowing as much it has cost him dearly."

"Knowing nothing can cost so much more." I said darkly as I passed the vampire, giving her a long look.

I did not know most of the looks on me as I leaned in Elena's side to search through the documents on the desk until a dazzling light caught my eye.

"What are you doing?" Exclaims Elena, turning to the vampire supposed to burn in the sunlight.

"Heat-tempered glass. The UV doesn't cross these windows." Rose explained before stopping by the windows to look outside. "From time to time I passed to see the sun."

A heavy silence fell on us as I shared a brief look with Felix before quickly resuming my search as he made an awkward grimace. Felix was probably the worst person in tense moments.

The picture of a couple that I supposed contained this vampire Slether called me before I passed it to Elena to continue my search.

I ignored Elena's condolences on Rose before turning to the vampire's impatient question."Did you find that there? "

I was going to the vampire computer just to see an interface with a password. "Felix? A little help here?"

"Yes, password! You will not be able to access the data."

"Then forget it. We must go!"

Felix glanced over his shoulder at Rose with his usual attitude."I said _you_ will not be able to access it. "

Unfortunately, the brunet did not really have time to show us his skills as a sudden noise called out to us. Our foursome sat up in a state of alert towards the entrance before Rose ordered us to stay back while she checked the source of the noise.

I waited until she was out of the listening distance before turning to my sister with a hunch."What are we really doing here? "

"We are not supposed to retrieve information?" Felix asked immediately at the sight of the tense silence of my older sister.

I immediately gave a warning look at the brown in response, before turning back to my sister in impatience. "You don't want Damon and Stefan to make a deal with Katherine to prevent the sacrifice. Now why are we here?"

Elena was about to answer in her usual air of Saint however the intervention of Rose in the distance interrupted us. I did not hesitate to go to the vampire just to stop me at the sight of a brunette sobbing in her arms. Rose immediately turned to us before giving us a solemn look.

"I'm going to make tea." Elena asked immediately before heading to the kitchen leaving us with the duo.

I gave a glance at Rose and the brunette with a new sense of total disinterest before turning away from Felix by pulling him with me. I did not know the feeling of Rose's gaze on my back as I continued to walk to the desk before I stood next to Felix as he settled behind the screen.

The latter cracked his fingers for the demonstration before giving me a look over his shoulder."I conclude that we're not part of the compassion team."

"Elena didn't call us for information. I want to know why." I answered in a hushed voice before leaning slightly with my eyes on the screen."Can you open it, yes or no? "

"Can more than three assembled colors represent a fake step of fashion?" Rhetorically replied the brown before rolling his eyes to my white expression. "God, you're worse than usual in dangerous situations."

A faint smile, however, appeared on my lips as I put my hand on his shoulder."You'll learn how to do it."

* * *

"You don't really have a team spirit, do you? "

I jumped at the agreement of the voice of Rose before giving a look at the vampire over my shoulder.

"Your sister is with Alice. She is easily softened." The vampire commented in an attempt to make the conversation before giving me a side look. " You don't talk much."

"And she's in a pretty good mood. "Felix added before giving a grunt of pain as I slapped him in the back of the head. "Argh, or not."

Rose let out a light laugh before crossing her arms over her chest. "Damon warned me. "

"Whoa, it's like you're best friends now." I replied coldly before copying her defensive position.

However, I had not anticipated the duo's similar reaction as they turned to me to gauge me with their eyes squinting.

Unfortunately, Rose was the only one to pick up the thread of the conversation. "You misunderstand my species and yet you trust a more impulsive beast."

"Whoa, Whoa, first of all, offended, ok." Felix prompted, turning to the vampire."Then sleepy gene. Not a beast."

"Yet. "

"Thanks for the vote of thrust."

"I'll see what Elena does." I replied at once clearly weary of this uninteresting conversation.

However, I certainly did not expect to surprise the end of the conversation between Elena and this Gothic-looking girl.

"Actually, I was hoping he would put me in touch with Klaus."

"Klaus?" I exclaimed, finally calling the duo's attention with growing hatred."So that was your little plan from the beginning? You're going to surrender? And you decided to choose for me?"

Elena jumped to her feet visibly caught before trying to explain herself.

However, I did not give her time as I took a furious step to keep up with her. "And Rose? Or Felix? Will you choose for them too?"

"What? No!" She replies, seeming dumbfounded.

"Have you even thought about it? You have just literally offered him more than half of the ingredients on a platter!" I shouted indignantly before taking a step back in the realization. "That was exactly what you wanted. If Klaus picks us up then he will not have to take Caroline. Or Tyler. Or even anyone from Mystic Falls."

"Mil, try to understa-"

I stopped her by taking another step back before shaking my head in disbelief. "Understand what ? That you want to sacrifice the only friend I have?"

"You didn't hear the end of the story, Mila!" Elena defended, raising her voice. "Klaus killed all of Katherine's family. He will kill Jenna. Jeremy and everyone we love. Our family."

"Our family? Felix has been more of a family for me in the last year than you all."I said in a cold tone before going back into a warning. "I will not let you do it. Not as long as I'm alive."

"Mila ..."

The request of my sister remained unanswered as the sound of a throat clearing suddenly appeared between us. We suddenly turned our heads towards the source of the sound just to see Rose with an expression as cold as mine.

"Your friend managed to get into the computer. "

I gave a quick nod to the vampire before throwing an icy glare on my sister as I walked towards the office. I stopped at Felix's side with my arms crossed, receiving a glance from him before he tried to enter one of the files. However, a message bar prompted.

"Someone came here. There is nothing left on the hard drive." Felix announced with a frown.

"Probably the one who killed Slether." Rose agreed, letting me give another gloomy look at my sister at the same time.

The latter looked away before quickly follow the ascent of the brunette Gothic as she asked to take the place of Felix. "Slether was paranoid. He had a copy on an external server."

I leaned back on the brunette's shoulder as she connected to a new server before rolling my eyes as Felix read the password. "Kristen Stewart. Cliché."

"It's all his vampire contacts, is that it?"

"They're all vampires?" Felix commented, pointing the screen in disbelief, letting me grim over my shoulder."Awesome. My world doesn't come to turned upside-down. At all."

"Slether was an obsession. Almost as much as me."

"Whoa, you were made for each other." I said sarcastically before turning sharply to Felix."We found what we wanted. We're going. "

That made the rest of the group sat up as I tried to drag Felix with me only Elena hurried to intervene."You can't leave!"

"Elena! If you ever-"

"Deliver this message to Klaus: The double is alive and fine and ready to surrender."

"You went crazy or what!" Rose intervened as Felix turned to face me with a pure expression of confusion and panic.

"Here! I knew that I knew you! "

I immediately shook my head before going straight to the brunette to get the phone from her hands. "Nobody will send a message to anyone! Felix and me, we're going and nobody will stop us!"

"You can't do that!" Elena objected as soon as she turned to me. "Do you want him to kill Jenna? Jer? That's the only way, Mila."

"Not if it means sacrificing Felix!" I exploded, pointing at the brown with a horrified expression before pointing to Rose. "Or Rose!"

Elena gave a desolate look at the duet before shaking her head as she turned away soon followed by Rose.

I gave an incredulous look at my sister's back before turning to Felix."Ok, I'm out of here!"

"Felix, wait! "

"Your bitch of sister wants to offer me as an ingredient to accompany her on the altar!" He barked, stopping abruptly, taking a break in my turn. I'm not even a werewolf yet and are already threatening to sacrifice myself! You were right, Mila, I can still get out of this chaos and I'm out of here ... now!"

"Wait, Felix, where are you going to go, you can't leave like this." I recalled in a contrite feeling as I realized that I was going to lose him too.

"Yeah? Watch me, Mila." Grumbled the brown visibly on the point to explode.

I wrinkled my lips knowing that I had to take baby steps with him before raising my hands to try to soothe him. The brown had begun to spur back and forth as he dropped swearing under his breath as he tried to fight his temper.

"Felix, look at me." I asked calmly as I took cautious steps towards him."Hey, Felix, just ... please, look at me."

I ended up laying my hand on his shoulder, immediately calling the brown as he put his large brown eyes wrenching frightened on me. "I don't want to die, Mila."

"I know." I nodded slowly in understanding. "But that will not happen, I will not let you die, Felix, do you believe me?"

Felix held my gaze in silence as he studied each of my features in search of a lie before slowly nodding his head in affirmation. "I've always trusted you, but your sister bitch-"

"I know, I know." I interrupted quickly to avoid repeating an angry episode. "You can't stay here, Elena is sacrificing us all with her in her stupid suicide plan."

I was looking for my car keys in my pocket before giving them to the brown.

Felix widened his eyes before slowly taking the keys with a sorry expression."Mila, come with me. You can't seriously want to stay here? Your sister psychopath has brought you to sacrifice you! "

"I know what she did." I admitted with a feeling of bitterness before letting a slight sigh pass over my lips. "She's convinced she's doing the right thing."

"The right thing?" Felix snorted before tightening his grip on the keys. "In what way sacrifing me was the right thing to do? Or you and this vampire? She's just fucking selfish!"

"She's a double Petrova." I recognized, narrowing my lips before taking a step back. "In the glove box. There is a bunch of keys. My family has a lake house. You will also find a map. You should be able to hide there."

"And you ? "

I gave him a meaningful look before I froze sharply as he threw himself on my neck to hold me in his arms. Unlike Elena, I did not take the time to hug him back. I was fighting the tears flowing behind my eyelids before squeezing him one last time with all my strength. I did not know what would happen once this madman came to get us but the only thought that Felix was going to live was enough for me.

Finally, the brown broke off, letting me sniff before forcing a reassuring smile on my lips."C'mon, I don't want to see you here anymore!"

"I know when I'm no longer wanted." Felix replied with a trembling voice before finally turning on his heels.

I watched him leave the apartment with a feeling of heaviness in my chest before turning in my turn. I crossed the loft again in the direction of the living room simply to come face to face with Elena.

She lowered the glass of water from her lips, which she was about to drink before looking over my shoulder for question."You stayed."

"What? Disappointed that you can't have all the spotlight on you?" I said flatly before serving me a drink.

"Mila, you know it's the best solution. You must-"

I immediately turned on my heels before forbidding her to continue. "Stop! You know what? If you had not included Felix or even Rose, I might have understood. But sacrifice them with us? Have you completely lost your mind?"

"I'm just trying to save my family. Our family." She said with a guilty expression.

I was about to reply only the disturbing sight of a nuisance suddenly found behind my sister made me stop dead.

"What?" Elena asked curiously at the sight of her sister's white expression." What's the matter?"

I was simply signing the vampire with my finger forcing Elena to face Damon with a look of disbelief. " What you doing here?"

"No, what _you_ doing here? "

I immediately gave an incredulous look at my sister's lack of come back before taking a sip of my glass clearly not disturb by the presence of the vampire. "Conversation at cross purposes. Fascinating."

"What are you doing here?" Damon asked again, just pinching the bridge of my nose at this point.

I put my glass on the bar before shaking my hand in the air with disinterest."It's a story to die of laughter. I was in Richmond and Elena was able to find exactly in the same place. It's crazy, right?"

Unfortunately, I had obviously underestimated the fury of the vampire as he was suddenly in front of me with his jaw clenched. "Believe me, you don't want to test me. "

"I'm really sorry, Elena, Mila." Soon rose Rose revealing the identity of our little peephole.

"You said you understood! "

"She lied!" I exclaimed at the same time as the vampire in front of me before releasing a sudden cry of protest as he gripped my wrist.

"Hey, hey, let me go! "

To top it off, Alice decided to make an appearance just at that moment letting me give a disillusioned look at the brunette as Damon asked Rose to get rid of it.

"The only, the only, the true!" Alice exclaimed as Rose pulled her out of the room.

I rolled my eyes to the small incident before turning back to the vampire to fight against his grip."Hey, let me go now!"

"Come on!"He growled, pulling me toward Elena. "We're going!"

"No ! "

"I said we're leaving!" The vampire insisted, obviously forgetting his grip on my arm since he was about to break my wrist under his passive anger.

Unfortunately, Elena seemed totally ignorant of this fact as she continued to push the vampire's buttons. "I don't come back with you. And neither Mila."

The brunette pulled me to her side to prove her point letting me rub my wrist by shooting dagger with my eyes on the vampire.

However, he was quick to catch again a hold of my wrist as he stepped on Elena. "You have no choice, no power to decide, understand?"

"Have I had my say already?" Elena growled as she shook her head. "You and Stefan do this for me. Now it's our decision."

I bent my head not really sure on this point before holding a grimace as Damon tightened his grip on my wrist again." Ah yes? And who will save your life when you make decisions?"

"Okay, I have enough!" I exclaimed, pulling all my strength on the vampire's hold before standing beside my sister. "Settle your dispute but leave me out of it!"

I rubbed my wrists again, turning on my heels with the intention of leaving the room only the vampire found himself in front of me again."Don't even try to go one step further."

"Or what?" I challenged, straightening up to stand up to him.

"Hey." Elena intervened at once, intervening, leaving me to look at my sister with an expression to share between boredom and disbelief."Don't dare to threaten my sister."

"Don't interfere in my problems with little Gilbert!" He replied, advancing slightly on Elena before returning his icy blue eyes to me.

However, our contact was short-lived as Elena quickly caught on. "You don't listen to me, Damon! We don't want to be saved. Not if it means that Klaus kills everyone we love."

"You'll be out right now or else I'll swing you on my back and I'll load you up!"

"Very evolved!" I commented in my corner, receiving a burst of vampire at once.

However, the latter hastened to catch Elena leaving the brunette struggling before she tried to hit the vampire pathetically. I just rolled my eyes as she missed him miserably before deciding to let the duo handle their problem without me. I was not particularly in the mood to serve more of an object to squeeze. I sat in one of the rotating chairs in the office before going through the various books briefly to pass the time.

Obviously, it was only a matter of time before the impetuous vampire made his entry into my personal space.

"I thought you were playing Bonnie and Clyde with your boyfriend the werewolf."

I just ignored him as a sign of further fueling the vampire's anger as he suddenly found himself in front of me with his hands on each armrest."Can I know what you thought you were doing by following your suicidal sister?"

The most irritated part of me ordered me to just continue to ignore the vampire. After all, I had been so successful until now but it was too much. He had always had the gift of tapping me on the system and once was not customary.

I immediately detached my attention from the book that I flipped through and immediately turned to the vampire, leaning in turn on the armrests to be able to rise to his height during my tirade. "Okay, first, Elena's plan, not mine. She's the one who called me and trapped me at the same time. Your precious Elena, not me. She wanted to use Felix as a werewolf for the sacrifice. Oh, yes, because he's Tyler's half-brother and therefore a wolf in the making. But that's not the point because no matter what I say it will not change anything. Elena is perfect but you're too selfish for her and she can't remember it."

I did not even have time to finish my tirade as I was suddenly stabilizing on my feet. I suddenly held my breath as I realized too late how much Damon and I were getting closer during my blast.

However, our sort of trance stopped quickly as he narrowed his gray-blue eyes on me in realization. "You, little one ... were you there?"

"The next time you compel a person to forget your unwavering declaration of love, don't do it in her family home."

I cocked my jaw at the end of my statement as I could feel the penetrating look of Damon warming my face in spite of myself. His firm hands around my biceps didn't help the situation. I wanted to stake him at the same time to touch me that way and wanted both the feeling of his palms against my skin. It was nothing to understand. It was as if all my emotions of hate had come out and all I wanted was to break the abscess.

Unfortunately or luckily from the perspective, Rose decided to make her entrance completely ignorant of our situation. "Damon, I think we have to take care of ... oh ..."

Damon and I were looking at Rose with expressions of similar surprises before I quickly cleared my throat and removed Damon's hands from me. I was standing on my side as I returned to my observation of the many books while continuing to ignore the lingering looks of the two vampires currently in a muffled conversation.

* * *

Finally, Damon left the room leaving me unfortunately in the presence of Rose. A heavy silence spread over us before the vampire decided to speak.

"You act as you hate him."

I immediately turned around to face her before just raising an eyebrow with attitude. "It's because I do it."

"And he says he loves your sister."

"Oh really? He says that?" I replied with false surprise before rolling my eyes as I snapped a useless book on top of the desk. "It's old news."

However, it seems that my reaction only brought a smile to the lips of the pixie-haired vampire."You look a lot like him."

"What? Me? Look like ... him? Ew, please." I exclaimed at once, giving the vampire a real smile before Elena decided to come in.

The brunette stopped at our sudden silence before raising an eyebrow in curiosity."I interrupt something?"

I was about to answer her only Damon suddenly emerged from a double door on the side before walking towards us with a determined step. "We left. This pain of Alice sleeps and she will keep no memory of this ridiculous day."

The sudden conspiracy of the doors burst through our entire group and I could only get up in a panic at the sight of three men walking in the room.

"We're here for the double Petrova." One of them said, immediately making me look at Elena in a change of heart.

Now I was not sure if I wanted to participate in this plan. After all that had happened to us. I had already almost lost Elena in the accident and now I could lose her again. Not to mention that I remained a plausible guinea pig with her.

"Thanks for coming." Elena announced, starting to walk towards them just to be stopped by Damon.

I gave a quick look between the duo in panic before deciding to take a step in my turn. "Tell Klaus that Milana wants to see him."

The attention immediately turned to me before I was suddenly stopped by Damon as the latter raised his arm, murmuring over his shoulder. "You don't move or I break off your wrist."

I gave a scathing look at the ebony brown before turning to the short-haired man as Damon told him that there was nothing for him here.

However, my irritation was short-lived as I leaped suddenly in a jolt at the sight of one of the men falling dead on the ground. Behind him stood none other than Elijah in a new expensive costume. I barely had time to fully realize the sense of relief at his exploding view inside me that he suddenly moved at the speed of vampire between the two remaining vampires. He looked between his two with a dark look.

If I was not hypnotized by the sight of the vampire in front of me, I might have seen Rose leave the room but I was too focused on Elijah. The latter finally gave a look at Damon and Elena before finally stopping at me with the same fascination expression of the first time.

"I killed you. You were dead." Damon exclaimed in disbelief.

I was finally getting out of my trance before looking at the vampire again as he answered Damon. "For centuries already."

He asked who the other two vampires were causing a stammer response from these. It was obvious that Elijah inspired fear and it had the gift of fascinating me more.

"We expected to bring her. For Klaus." Replied the vampire who had spoken to us before."It's the famous double. I don't know how it is that there is one but it's her. She's going to interest Klaus a lot."

"Does anyone else know you're here?" Elijah asked in a detached tone without ever taking his eyes off us.

"No. "

To my horror Elijah let out a breathtaking smile before suddenly tearing the hearts of the two vampires with bare hands. Their bodies fell limply on the ground before Elijah unceremoniously let their warm hearts rest on their bodies. I remained totally prostrate while Damon immediately took a defensive position. Only the vampire soon fainted in space as if he had never been there to begin. Only the three remaining corpses showed his presence.

"It was ..." I gasped breathless before what had happened before suddenly leaping into a burst of euphoria. "Awesome!"

Damon and Elena immediately turned to me with similar expressions of disbelief making me just shrug my shoulders with indifference.

"The guy was dead. Impaling in a wall and it was great?"Damon said with obvious frustration in his tone before narrowing his outrageous blue eyes on me."You tried to stake me for less than that."

I tilted my head to the side in agreement before taking a step towards the exit nonchalantly."He's killing vampires. He's better than you. "

I was totally unaware of the vampire and my sister as I continued the way avoiding corpses on the ground before leaving this cursed apartment.

* * *

The rest of the trip home was probably one of the most awkward moments of my life. Being stuck between Elena and Damon was already a nightmare, but when the vampire kept peeking me through the rearview mirror it did not help the situation. I tried to look at the landscape through the window, but even that was not enough to distract me from my thoughts and the vampire. Not only was Damon a big part of my mind but now Elijah too. I had absolutely no explanation as to my kind of connection with this vampire. All I knew was that I was strangely relieved that he was not dead. And that was the problem, I did not even know him.

Finally, the house was quick to come in, letting me rush off before getting out of the car even before Damon could turn off the ignition. I was already at the door when Damon and Elena got out of the car. I did not wait a single second to enter and just ignored Jeremy as he tried to approach me. I climbed the stairs four to four before slamming the door of my room behind me. I leaned back to the latter for support before resting my head back. I closed my eyelids heavy tired by releasing a long sigh before feeling my phone vibrate in my denim pocket. I quickly removed the latter just to see a text from Felix telling me he had arrived at the cabin.

I immediately took my phone against my chest in relief before finally pushing myself out of my door. I left my phone on my nightstand before deciding to change for the night. I put on a simple navy-blue baseball t-shirt with cotton shorts before sitting on my bed to put on a pair of woolen socks. I needed comfort and the comfy socks had always had the gift of soothing me.

After that, I let myself fall heavily on my bed without bothering to go under the duvet. I just closed my eyelids in the hope of falling into a deep, dreamless sleep. I already knew that I would have to face Jenna's anger tomorrow and was not particularly ready to take the short run of my life. Felix and I had managed to escape this world for a week and now everything was back to normal as if nothing had happened.

This little excursion was almost too good to be true.

A new sigh left my lips as I turned to the side just to suddenly come into contact with a hard surface.

I kept my eyes closed with a slight frown as I raised my arm to flatten my bed just to jump sharply at the agreement in a voice all too familiar."If you wanted to feel the goods, you had to say it!"

"What the hel-for heaven's sake what are you doing here, Damon?" I lashed out, trying to refine my hair as I stood with the vampire lying nonchalantly on my bed.

He had his arms crossed behind his head while his ankles were crossed on one of my pillows."It was completely stup-"

"Again not my idea." I said, rolling my eyes in annoyance, skirting my bed to stand beside him before grabbing his wrist to try to pull him, to no avail. "Come on, seriously, Damon, move on! I'm not in the mood and- "

I did not even have time to finish my sentence as I was suddenly throwing on my bed before Damon nailed me against my mattress with his hands and knees."I was not talking about today. "

I was totally speechless as I suddenly realized the position we were in before realizing that Damon did not look at mine. I felt my throat tighten at the sight of his blue eyes dive into mine. I suddenly became very conscious of each part of his body in contact with mine before falling in spite of me my attention on his lips. I could feel a deep blush coloring my cheeks as I thought about feeling his body against mine before quickly remembering who he was.

I raised my eyes in hers just to realize with horror that his eyes had darkened with a glare of lust.

"Damon." I croaked before I cleared my throat. "Damon ... what are you doing?"

It seemed to wake him from his trance as he released me almost immediately before moving through my room to sit on my desk."You can't run away like that. Ever."

I sat up with my hands on each side before giving the vampire a flat look."Why? You missed me?"

"Saint Stefan is already unbearable when you're around so imagine when you've gone where God knows where. "

I narrowed my eyes at the vampire in mistrust before suddenly displaying a slight smile despite myself. " That's it. You really miss me. The big bad vampire is yearning for a maddening little teenager."

"Ah, ah, ah, it's not me who said it." He replied, pointing to me as a child amplifying my smile in spite of myself. This gave the vampire a bewildered look.

"Wait, are you really smiling? To me?"

I immediately let out a grunt in defeat before hiding my face with my hands as I dropped back on my bed. "Argh, go away, Damon it's been a long day. No, correct that, a long year."

I felt a sudden gust of wind before my mattress leaned slightly to the side forcing me to remove my hands from my face to see the vampire gauge me carefully. "I do anything when you're not there."

I slowly let my hands fall to my side as I watched the vampire with a frown before straightening up to object.

Only he hastened to resume.

"I slept with Rose. Several times. And I told your sister that I loved her. An unwavering love. It had not happened to me for a long time. But I can't be with her because ... because I'm selfish. The proof, she is my little brother's girlfriend. And then there is you. From the beginning, I wanted you. Stefan always had everything. He is the one who attracts sympathy. And for a moment I thought I had you. And then I lost you. And now, I've lost you both. And today, we could have lost you both. You can't do that, Mila."

I was literally speechless as I tried to record what he had just confided before shaking my head in disbelief. "You drunk?"

"Mila ..."

"So, you're selfish. And an asshole." I snapped back in irritation, giving the vampire a confused look. "You know, you don't have the right to come here and tell me that you've always wanted me because you wanted to have what your little brother had. I'm not a fucking lottery lot. I am-I am… "

I did not even realize the tears running down my cheeks until Damon suddenly put his hand against my cheek to wipe one of my tears.

I froze, looking at him with a surprised look before swallowing, never taking my eyes off him."Get out of my room. "

"I can't do that." He wiped his hand on his dark jeans before taking my face between his hands to maintain contact. "I want you to give me a chance. A chance to redeem myself."

I was speechless again as I watched the vampire in front of me before whispering my next question. " Why? Why now?"

"Did you even listen to what I just told you?" He snapped, suddenly losing his patience as he got up from the bed and walked up and down. "I do stupid things when you're not there. I need to fill that gap and when I end up filling that gap, I end up either in your sister's room or in a bed with Rose. I drink too much, I attack Mason and when I find myself alone in my bed, I end up finding myself here. On this balcony to look at you in the hope of getting something good for once."

"Whoa ..." I breathed overwhelmingly under such disturbing revelations before quickly shaking my head as I frowned at the vampire. "Ok, I'm just going to ignore your stalker behavior because it's way too creepy. "

"You watched a guy snatch the hearts of two vampires and your only reaction was to find that awesome." He reminded me, giving me an innocent false look that made me magnify my glow.

I rolled my eyes down my lap from my bed and crossed my arms over my chest as I tried to manage the vampire without causing him to derail. "Simple question of semantics."

"Semantics? Seriously, Mila?" Scoffed the vampire in a bored tone before giving me a long, close look. "Since when did you become so good at avoiding topics of conversation?"

"I don't avoid anything, I'm just trying to minimize your next whim!" I exploded suddenly in frustration before settling into the realization.

The vampire sat up with his eyes narrowed at me darkly."Minimize my whim, what am I, a spoiled brat?"

Everyone knew that Damon did not really know how to handle rejections.

"Damon, I'm not Elena." I remembered with a sharp look before interrupting him as he stepped forward to object. "I'm not here to nurse you, let alone replace my sister. You are over 160 years old for God's sake! If someone must make sure that one of us doesn't do anything wrong, it's you."

"Oh, I see, a spade on my age." Dedramatized the vampire making me roll my eyes again as I grabbed my hoodie to put on.

I closed the edges around me by simple habit before turning my attention to the ebony-haired vampire. "If I give you a chance, are you going to leave my room?"

"I'm pretty good here." He replied, throwing himself back on my bed, letting me give him a warning look. "Okay, I can't really leave. "

This time I just raised an eyebrow in question.

"I didn't really come for that."

"Oh really? So, you mean you had another purpose than to tell me everything ... that?" I asked sarcastically before finishing with a frank hand gesture and a grimace.

Damon gave me a gloomy look at my lack of consideration before getting up with an alarming expression to be honest. He had his trusty mask- _ **I carry bad news, please don't hit me-.**_

"What's happened?" I asked immediately on alert.

Damon let out a stressed breath before putting his hands on his hips as he gave me another falsely pensive grimace. "Where do I start? First, the sacrifice runs in our two families. Jeremy offered to Katherine to recover the moonstone instead of Bonnie. This bitch trying to use it to make a bargain and my stupid brother threw himself into the crypt to save your fool's brother. And now, I'm the only one who must take care of you all and make sure that one of you, Gilbert doesn't try again to offer herself as a sacrificial lamb. I think that pretty much sums up the situation."

I felt my chest tighten to the agreement of Stefan's situation, but to be honest, I was more concerned for Jeremy. When I thought I had just ignored him earlier. Nevertheless, he was really stupid. I knew he wanted to make himself useful at any cost, but it definitely exceeded any ounce of common sense.

"Can I know what he was thinking?!" I exploded, bringing my hands into my hair.

Damon gave me a flat gaze before nonchalantly shrugging his shoulders."Exactly my reaction. Stefan has always been-"

"I was not talking about Stefan." I interrupted him dryly before shaking my head completely unconscious of the vampire's smile.

At least, it was before he caught my attention again. "So, you don't worry about Saint Stefan?"

"When are you going to grow up?" I replied in annoyance before crossing my arms over my chest. "How we're going to do to free him?"

"We?"

"Damon, focus." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose before giving a little startled cry as he suddenly found himself in front of me."Damon, what are you-"

Damon put his finger against my chapped lips just as three free knocks against my door were heard. "Mila, you're all right? I heard voices. I hope you're not with a boy."

"Uh?" I whispered, frowning on the door before rolling my eyes at the vampire at the sight of his blissful expression. "No, Jenna. I just saw a huge pest. A kind of cockroach."

"Predictable." Damon murmured with a smirk making me squint at the idiot.

I pushed him away so I could walk to my door before opening it slightly to face Jenna. "Sorry if I worried you, I'm fine."

"If only I just started to worry about you." Jenna answered immediately before giving me a warning look at the sight of my expression. "I remind you that you left home for a week. Again."

"I know. And I totally have an excuse for that but I'm exhausted and I have high school tomorrow then ... "I grimaced before quickly closing the door behind me just to catch the arrogant vampire's gaze. "Get out of my room, cockroach."

"Oh, honey, I've been called a lot worse. "

I just rolled my eyes as I pushed myself from the door of my room before heading for my bed. I leaned on him with a leg crossed under me to sit on it before focusing my attention on my hands. I had to admit that I was not in the best minds lately and with all building up one after the other, I did not really know how I could last longer.

"I promise you we'll get Stefan out." Assured Damon with his eyes fixed on me as he knelt down to capture me."You're not going to push another of your little stunts like with the vampires in the crypt, right?"

I rolled my eyes at his little hint before giving him a flat look to support my point."In case you didn't notice, Stefan is not really on my list of people to protect anymore."

"Right, this kid Fell." Moaned Damon rolling his eyes in turn before getting up. "Besides, where is our little wolf at this moment?"

I narrowed my eyes on his muscular back covered by his usual leather jacket to his inquisition about Felix before crossing my arms over my chest. "First, still not a werewolf, then I advised him to stay away from Mystic Falls as long as Klaus posed a threat to himself and the rest of the people around Elena and me."

I could not really see Damon's expression since he was back to me but I could already imagine his smooth expression. " Wise decision. Like that, I wouldn't have to kill him. "

I immediately got up from my bed before filling the gap between us as I took the picture frame containing a family photograph of our parents, Jeremy, Elena and me before giving him a warning look."It's not really the behavior to adopt for someone looking for redemption. After it's clear, still touches someone who is dear to me and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Damon interrupted me quickly, nonchalantly turning to me before taking the picture frame from my hands back to my desk chair."I learned my lesson with baby Gilbert. No touch to loved ones."

This time, I found myself giving a pitying look at the vampire as I shook my head with a whisper. "It wasn't a lesson, Damon."

The vampire immediately lifted his eyes from the frame to catch my gaze in an almost dying silence. I swallowed as he slowly put the frame on top of my desk before getting up to join me slowly and almost hesitantly. I watched him closely in suspicion as I supported myself on my dresser before raising my eyes as he stood in front of me.

I wrinkled my lips in uncertainty before leaning my head slightly to the side in curiosity. "I never asked you to change who you are. And I didn't manipulate you to behave. You're not-"

"I know, Mila." The vampire interrupted again as he put his forefinger to my lips before making me gasp as he took my chin between his thumb and forefinger.

I could hear and feel my heart accelerate at his mere touch as he measured me in a long, unsettling silence before leaving a slight grin on his lips."Do you know this expression that says: the eyes are the reflections of our souls?"

"Yeah?" I murmured visibly as I let my eyes travel between his hand holding me in place and his almost gray blue eyes under the lighting in my room.

"Well, your eyes are certainly a reflection of your soul." He continued in a whisper before taking me by surprise as he put his thumb to trace the apple of my cheek with delicacy.

I followed his finger trying to remember who was in front of me before finally returning my eyes to the vampire as I took his hand in mine. I did not question my actions as I pulled him with me on my bed before settling under his confused eyes.

However, I did not form a single word as I leaned against my headboard before beckoning him to join me. The vampire was surprisingly not praying as he lay down long before surprising me as he put his head on my abdomen. I lowered my eyes to his head with a thoughtful look before raising my hand in hesitation. I nibbled inside my cheek in a last moment of uncertainty before passing my long fingers of artist between his ebony strands.

The vampire almost instantly sounded contented and then readjusted more comfortably with a relaxed sigh. "My mother used to do the same thing to me when I was sick. "

I suddenly froze at this new humanizing information source of the vampire before trying to resume with my caresses as I caught myself questioning him about his mother.

"She was the opposite of my good-for-nothing father. She was the most joyous and bright being I knew at the time. Too bad my father managed to destroy that too." Confessed the vampire bitterly, giving me a look of sympathy.

I did not really know how we got there but I had to admit that it was always interesting to discover a new side of Damon. Even if it meant discovering his worst sides sometimes. Despite everything, Damon remained a complex and fascinating being at the same time. Not to mention that all his life experiences certainly deserved some introspection to discover how he had come to be what he was today.

I narrowed my eyes at the vampire as I nibbled the inside of my cheek in hesitation as a rather sensitive question weighed on my mind. I weighed the pros and cons before I started.

"How ... how is she dead? "

Damon was silent for a moment as though reliving some sort of memory before answering with a slight sigh. "She got sick and my father decided to send her away from her sons." I gave him a look of sympathy, obviously showing his hatred toward his father."And then, one day, we received a letter from abroad. She was dead. Stefan was barely nine years old at the time. "

"And you, fifteen." I remembered with a sharp look at the vampire before letting a slight smile on my lips as he rolled his eyes. "You were almost the same age as me when I lost..." I swallowed at the mere mention of my parents before raising my eyes to avoid his attentive gaze. "I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. "

Damon immediately gave a slight grunt as he turned on his back so he could get a full view of my face. "You don't have to do that ... it's ... well ... from the past. I didn't even go to her funeral. But thanks."

"You really didn't go?" I breathed in disbelief as I crossed his bluish orbs dancing with an unknown emotion on me.

He nodded silently before hiding his eyes suddenly with his forearm as he made a small, frustrated grunt. "Hm ... why do I suddenly feel the need to reveal to you all my awful life story?"

"Maybe it's because I was right from the beginning." I interjected with a slight mischievous smile forcing Damon to withdraw his arm to squint at me suspiciously. "You need a friend after all."

Damon scoffed almost immediately before rolling his eyes with a smirk."I already have a friend. I have Ric and at least, he can drink without having to benefit from my little trick of compulsion."

I ignored his little taunt with his eyes as he maliciously raised his eyebrows before trying the devil as I flicked his forehead.

"You didn't." The vampire exclaimed at once in disbelief, letting me hold a laugh in spite of myself. "You're so dead. "

I was trying to extricate myself from his presence only it was hardly lost as I suddenly found myself flattening against my bed with a vampire in revenge mode above me.

And this resulted in a real tickling attack.

I giggled at him as he attacked my most sensitive places before squirming in all directions to try to escape him.

Unfortunately, it was a waste of time since he had a superhuman strength. "Da-Damon, st-stop ! Ple-pl-oh my god-please, Damon! Ha, ha, ha, stop!"

"Huh, huh, sorry, I didn't hear you." The vampire teased, continuing to attack my side.

I laughed even more as I threw my head back, overwhelmed by the jolts, before releasing a long exhausted breath as he showed me pity. He laughed at my relieved expression before surprising me again as he suddenly lifted me up to put me under my comforter. I let myself strangely do without a word as I just watched him carefully with an unreadable expression on my face.

Damon seemed oblivious to my silent observation as he began to tangle me with all possible attention before finally lifting his eyes in mine.

He instinctively raised his eyebrows as he realized I was watching him before letting an arrogant smile curl his lips."Now, don't develop a little schoolboy crush on me, little Gilbert."

"Ha, you loved that, didn't you?" I was surprised to flirt back before narrowing my lips in shyness as he found himself hesitating over his answer.

He settled back on the free space on my bed before raising his hand to my face. I stiffened in anticipation before supporting his eyes as he just stuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "It wouldn't be right for you. I see it now."

Honestly, I did not know where the urge came from but the next thing I did was grab his slippery hand down my face. I intertwined our fingers together, surprising the vampire with a rather intimate gesture before putting our hands on the pillow lying next to mine to watch them.

I stood for a moment in silence as I could feel the vampire's watchful eye before finally whispering my surrender. "My offer of friendship still holds. If you feel the need to act just like yourself. You can come to me."

Damon did not answer right away as he kept staring at me almost as if he thought I was unreal before finally bending to put a chaste kiss on my forehead.

I caught myself closing my eyelids as he lingered a little longer than normal before pulling back slightly to support my gaze. "What are you doing to me, Mila Gilbert?"

* * *

 _ **I also wanted to know what you thought about Mila's involvement in the sacrifice and if you had any ideas of her role to play?**_

 _ **I look forward to your reactions ...**_


	34. Chapter 34 : Act like you know

**Chapter thirty-four : Act like you know**

"Whoa, so Tyler sent you a video of his-sorry, our uncle turning on the full moon? It's scary and at once enjoyable."

I rolled my eyes at the cheerful tone of the brown before pinching my phone on my bedside table as I searched for a jacket among my one-man cockroach."You can't rejoice in Tyler's suffering simply because you didn't unleash your curse. "

"Ok, first, I can and I have the right. This little asshole treated me like a swatter from the childhood garden." Felix replied at once making me wince as I grabbed my leather jacket."Nope, it will not go with your sneakers. "

I threw my jacket over the top of my bed before taking my denim jacket instead."I know you hate Tyler but he's your half-brother and he could very well be our only recourse if ever-"

"If ever what?" Felix immediately retorted before resuming with gravity. "If I ever kill someone and eventually turn myself into a beast?"

I winced as I pulled on my denim jacket before picking up the phone to watch Felix through my screen. "It will not happen okay. But in case of if I ever go with Tyler anyway."

"You're completely sick." Felix grumbled, letting me give him an innocent smile as I crossed my room to the exit. "I want pictures!"

I shook my head, smiling despite myself at Brown's request before hanging up. I slid my phone into the pocket of my jeans on my way to the stairs before abruptly stopping me as Elena suddenly found herself in my path.

"Elen-"

"Shhhh!" She whispered, interrupting me immediately with a finger against her lips before handing me her hand just to show me the moonstone.

I stared at the stone before turning my attention to my sister, shaking my head in the objection. " Oh no! No way! No, no and-"

Elena interrupted me again with her finger against my lips this time before giving me a sharp look.

She glanced discreetly over her shoulder before giving me a long look. "You are the one who sees everything in a practical way. You know it's the only solution. Otherwise you wouldn't stay with me in Richmond. "

I gave her a dark look at her use of my choices to her advantage before holding back a grunt as I pushed her to take the lead. " I drive. "

"Where are you going?" Suddenly comes Bonnie with a glass in her hand stopping me.

I held a grunt as Elena hit me stupidly before turning my attention to Bonnie in uncertainty."Uh ... see Tyler. "

"See Stefan. "

I immediately pinched my lips at the stupidity of my sister before giving her a scathing look over my shoulder.

However, our attention soon turned to Bonnie. " You're lying. And very bad at that."

"Elena's lying. I'm really going to see Tyler so if you don't mind ... "I did not know Elena's incredulous breath as I was trying to pass Bonnie only the witch interposed again." Uh ... Bonnie?"

Unfortunately, it was only the beginning as the agreement of footsteps on the floor was heard soon followed by the voice of my twin."They took the moonstone."

"How did you know?"

"Again, Elena took the stone!" I defended myself with another outrageous glare from my sister before turning to Bonnie. "The mystery is settled, let me pass Bonnie."

Unfortunately, the witch shook her head negatively before giving a glance at my sister and me. "It was a test. You have failed. Both."

I supported the witch's gaze in disbelief before shaking my head in indignation. "You're all completely stupid if you hope to beat Klaus by making this rock unusable. The last time he murdered Katherine's whole family because she turned into a vampire. And even then, there was always the possibility of getting another look-alike. Imagine what it will do when you unzip the only rock that can break the curse. "

I could see a hint of doubt and understanding in the witch's eyes only it was enough for her to look at Elena for her expression. That's why I stayed on the stairs when Bonnie let Elena go.

I gave a skeptical look at the witch before turning my attention to my sister's call."Mila, are you coming?"

My doubt and my question was, soon answered as Elena had barely opened the front door she suddenly met an invisible wall making me immediately give an outraged look at Bonnie.

"Tell me it works only for Elena! "

Elena gave me a scathing look before turning to Bonnie with an accusing look."What's that thing? "

"It's better like that." Bonnie answered quickly before turning to me. " For you two. "

I leaned back on the railing of the stairs before giving an icy glance at the witch. "You can't keep me here. I need to go out."

"To do what? Do you intend to run away again?" Interjected Jeremy from the top of the stairs making me give him a dark look over my shoulder.

I narrowed my eyes on the brown with resentment before going up the stairs pushing him in my way. "You will regret it."

* * *

I could not believe I was reduced to that. It was completely stupid. They were all going to kill us. I did not even want to imagine what Klaus was going to do with us once he realized that the stone had been destroyed. Not to mention that we still had the problem Elijah to settle. I did not really know how I felt about it but I already knew he was coming back. I had that deep feeling deep in my chest. It was like I was intimately connected to this vampire. And it was pretty scary to be honest.

The umpteenth ringing of my phone sounds, letting me look at the screen just to ignore Tyler's call again. I could not really help him at the moment and I already knew what he was going to tell me. Watching Mason in transition had already been quite disturbing so imagine Tyler, or worse Felix in this process of pain was all the more frightful.

I sighed heavily as I rested my phone by my side before returning my eyes to my sketchbook. I sighed looking at my new blank page before tightening my grip on my charcoal. I had finally completed my form for the summer internship last night and now I needed proof of my skills in the different arts I wanted to explore. The events of the day were enough to remind me how much I wanted to leave this city. Even though it would probably never happen. I just wanted to put things in order. I could not let myself be sacrificed without at least fulfilling what I wanted most at that moment.

What I cherished and what I wanted most.

A way out.

On the other hand, a part of me, a part ashamed to be honest, seemed almost euphoric to leave the victory to this famous vampire.  
For some reason, I could not help but wonder in a corner of my head what he looked like. Not physically but more in the personality. If he was like Elijah. If I felt this same strange connection.

The thought made me suddenly shudder as I thought back to last night's dream. It was one of those dreams again with a wolf. I was once again in the forest with this wolf but this time, I wasn't alone. It was strange but I could see a couple. Or at least what I assumed was a couple. The long-haired, dirty-haired man seemed to chase a laughing woman. In no case seemed threatened. On the contrary, she seemed to have the time of her life. But it was not the dream itself that was strange. It was that deep feeling of fullness when I woke up.

Despite the constant feeling of having a sword of Damocles over my head, I suddenly felt soothed. Perhaps even more soothing than I could have been before the death of my parents. And now I found myself languishing in that feeling. Even more when I found myself trapped in my own home.

I threw my notebook unceremoniously on top of my bed before descending into determination. I was driving straight for my desk chair and retrieved my denim jacket and my pair of white and black Alexander McQueen sneakers.

Once ready, I made my way down the hallway before quickly descending the stairs pulling my hood from my sweatshirt over my jacket. I pulled an elastic around my wrist to tie my hair in a messy bun at the base of my neck before walking straight into the kitchen. I retrieved my car keys, which are currently on the counter, before heading straight for the window above the sink. I pulled out the safety catch before lifting the flapper just to swear when my hand touched an invisible wall.

However, I did not let myself down as I immediately turned on my heels towards the living room. This obviously appealed to Elena since she had chosen to sulk on our couch." What are you doing?"

"If I stay one more second here, I'll go nuts!" I grumbled under my breath as I opened one of our windows before suddenly stopping at the door opening agreement.

Elena and I shared a look before I went to the couch in a silent race. I ended up jumping on the couch with the remote in hand before turning on the screen with an air of innocence.

"You should lock yourself up twice." Damon said as he walked into the living room with a smirk that immediately received a shine from my sister as I strove to act as nonchalantly as possible. "Oh, missy. At least recognize that it was ingenious."

I held a disdainful snort as Elena squeezed a cushion against her chest, giving a frustrated glare to the vampire. "You think it's funny?"

"Yes, Elena. It's true that it's hilarious to have to bend over backwards to save your life!" He replied sarcastically, making my jaw clench as

I changed channels again to distract me from his annoying presence. I may have forgiven him in the long run but he was still annoying. Not to mention that I found myself also trapped in his little stupid plan.

"And what did Stefan think?" Elena tried again, obviously betting on the other brother to support her every decision.

"We had a good laugh."

I rolled my eyes impatiently before deciding that too much was enough."And what did he say when you told him that Elijah was still alive?"

"Ah, finally she's talking. I thought it wasn't normal." Damon commented giving me a useless wink before joining me on the couch with his arm behind me. "Yeah ... so that ... I didn't tell him. "

I immediately pinched the bridge of my nose before leaning against the vampire's arm without really thinking. "Figure."

"Well A: He can't do anything about it; and B- "Damon paused as I gave him another look before resuming. "What I just said."

"Ok, it's out of the question that I'm locked in this house when you're the one in charge." I exploded, leaping on my feet before pointing at him. "Tell Bonnie to let me out."

Damon immediately began to think humming before giving me his sarcastic smile again."How about ... no? "

"You don't understand, ok?" I was insistent in frustration. "I need to get out of this house."

"So, you go get Klaus for both of you? Yeah, no."

I immediately let out a grunt filled with exasperation before turning immediately on my heels at the approach of my twin brother.

"Where is Bonnie?"

"I thought she was with you." Jer replied, giving a look at the vampire.

Damon shook his head before giving us a side look to support his point."No, she's moonlight chore. Me, I am the bodyguard of the two girls Gilbert."

"We are both trapped in this house, I doubt that a bodyguard is really useful." I said with a disdainful look on the vampire before letting myself fall back on the couch with my arms crossed over my chest. "Especially if we really wanted to contact Klaus, I would call Felix and ask him to go back to Slater vampire to get some info."

I did not realize I had spoken aloud until three heads turned to me with shared expressions of hope and suspicion.

"Fortunately for us, you're not going to do that." Damon replied with a sharp look in my direction before narrowing his icy blue eyes on my form. "Isn't it, Mila? "

"I told you she wouldn't let it go." Jeremy added me making me throw a glare at him before he turned to Damon to ignore my betrayed look. "Who's taking care of Tyler and the full moon? "

"Vampire Barbie asked me if she could handle it, so I said, why not. If it does, he'll bite her and it'll be a problem for me."

This time, I bounced on my place just as Elena turned to Jeremy. "Wait, it's already the full moon tonight?"

"I was supposed to help him. Caroline didn't have to put herself in danger." I said annoyingly just as the annoying ringing of Damon's phone rang out.

"One more reason." The vampire replied, giving me a smirk before grabbing his phone in his jeans pocket just as he answered Elena."As for Elena, you were too suicidal to realize it."

I rolled my eyes as the vampire walked to one of the windows to answer the call. I sat up on the couch to get a better view and tried to get as much information as possible from our side.

"What? Why? ... What girl? ... It's not good for us. Where are you? ... I'm coming right away."

I sat up again as the vampire hung up before turning to us by signing Jeremy, my sister and me. " Change of program. You're the baby sitter."

"I can do it." Jer answered, tipping over the arm of the couch before falling back on Elena.

I barely avoided his head on my thighs, leaving a smile on my lips as he let out a grunt at the feeling of the couch against his skull."Hey! "

"Stop doing the baby." I gasped, settling down on the couch and squeezing a cushion against my chest.

Jeremy rolled his eyes before stole my cushion to install his head on my thighs with a smug smile. "No, you stop doing the baby. "

"Mature. "

I put my eyes on the screen when Damon stopped on his way out to remind Elena who had the upper hand. "Hey, you know what, you should go out, enjoy a little of this beautiful sun. Oh, wait… you can't."

I rolled my eyes again as I tore the cushion from under Jeremy's head before handing it to Elena. The latter made a pouting face before taking the cushion to throw it to the vampire.

Jeremy laughed leaving Elena push our brother out of the couch letting me laugh as well as I leaned over to look at Jer now on the floor."Now that's funny."

I watched Elena get up before arching an eyebrow as Jeremy quickly took her place giving me a sharp look.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just that I don't understand how you could team up with Katherine." He declared with a deep frown slightly accusing.

I gave Jer a long look before letting myself fall heavily against the back of the sofa. "I wanted the slut out of town."

"We had a plan. "

"Most of your plans don't work." I remember coldly before giving him a knowing look. "And if the current situation was not equivocal enough then I don't know what you need. "

"Klaus doesn't just want Elena." Jeremy suddenly said, making me raise an inquisitive eyebrow. "He wants you too. And you would surrender without even bothering to think."

I gave a glance at Jeremy before squinting my lips. "It was us or you. The choice was quickly made."

"Don't you think we had something to say?" Jeremy's object seemed to become more and more annoyed by the conversation. "That I had my say in losing my two sisters."

I let out a long sigh by pinching the bridge of my nose before giving a serious look at my twin. "The only possible solution today is to stop running away, Jer. Too many people are dead. When you understand that, everything will be a lot easier."

I ended up getting up before going back to my room in the hope of catching up on a few hours of well-deserved sleep.

* * *

Unfortunately, it seems that I had only managed to fall back into my strange dream world before being suddenly awakened by Aunt Jenna. The latter had apparently been commissioned by Carol Lockwood to retrieve old records about Mystic Falls for a visiting author and since I was the one passionate about history, she had thought I would be interested. And by interest, she meant a way to question me on my come and go. I had spent the rest of the afternoon and the evening lying to her over the last few months.

"Oh!"

Jenna's exclamation followed by a coughing fit forced me to lift my eyes from the box in front of me before raising an eyebrow as she caught her breath. "Who would have thought that your mother could keep as many archives in her closet."

"She was a fervent protector of our heritage." I said with a hint of bitterness as I thought back to the irony of my statement.

Jenna tilted her head in sign of acceptance before suddenly turning her head towards the exit of the closet with the agreement of knocks against our door of entrance. "Oh, can you answer?"

"Right now." I gasped, straightening up before striding out of the boxes to get out of the closet.

I wiped a dust job on my sweatshirt on the way before opening the door just to slam it right away.

I leaned against the latter in panic before widening my eyes on Jenna as she went out in turn."What is happening?"

"Oh ... uh ..." I tried to regain a completely nonchalant air before reducing the situation with a wave of the hand. "Oh, it's nothing. Just another of these scout sellers going door to door."

Jenna raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the closed door before shrugging her shoulders back to our archives.

Unfortunately, the agreement of further knocks against the door caught Jenna's attention again as she gave me a curious look."Fine. Let me tell them to leave."

"No!"

Jenna stopped at my exclamation, letting me swallow in a trapped feeling.

"Ok, move, Mila." Jenna insisted before pushing me out of the door.

I took a few steps back with an expression of sickly pallor at the sight of the vampire while Jenna frowned in greeting. "Hi, you don't look like a scout door-to-door salesman."

Elijah raised an eyebrow visibly surprised by Jenna's personality before turning his attention to myself with a flat look. "Forgive me, it must be a misunderstanding. My name is Elijah. I was told that Jenna Summers lived here."

"Oh, oh my god you are Elijah!" Jenna exclaimed, her face a bright shade of red before she confusedly apologized while giving me an accusing look." I'm really sorry. My niece, Mila, has taken you for one of these sellers-not that we have prejudices against the salesmen it's just that ... well you're ... I'm Jenna."

If I had not been so panicked and at the same time fascinated by the presence of the vampire I might have laughed at Aunt Jenna's nervousness.

However, I could feel my heart beating at ten miles an hour in my chest and the vampire's dark gaze focused on me did not help the situation. I was looking at the vampire with a very bad eye, shaking Jenna's hand before completely freezing when Jenna invited him in.

The vampire must also feel my inner conflict as he took a longer than necessary time to get in before straightening his suit jacket by giving Jenna a real, charming smile. "You have a very beautiful house."

I found myself raising an eyebrow despite myself to the effort he put in place before quickly composing my expression as Jenna turned to me with a hasty air."Well, introduce yourself. "

"Mila, a pleasure." I forced myself with a fake welcoming smile before eyeing his outstretched hand suspiciously.

"All the pleasure is mine, Mila."Needlessly introduce the vampire by pressing my name before shaking my hand a little too long for my taste."My name is Elijah. "

The situation could not be worse. A vampire over 500 years old was in our house. And I did not even mention the fact that he had the ability to tear hearts out of order.

I quickly detached my hand at the mere thought before crossing my arms on my chest as Jenna talked again. "Elijah is the author I was talking to you about."

"Really?" I asked suspiciously, immediately turning to the vampire just to see again this slight amused smile. "Mystic Falls is not the most interesting town I know. "

Elijah just continued to smile through this stupid masquerade."And yet, I find that this town has many more jewels than any other."

I bit the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from commenting on how this was the euphemism of the century.

However, the feeling of scrutinizing eyes on my form reminded me of the presence of the vampire as well as his interest more than disturbing on my person. He seemed almost to read in me and with my strange fascination with him, I felt anything but reassuring. And to top it off, I could not even leave this damn house.

The agreement of a loud crash coming from the closet under the stairs called me out, causing my vampire's eyes to steal for a moment.

I went straight to opening at Aunt Jenna cough before leaning against the crack in the cares. "Aunt Jenna? Everything is fine ? "

"Yeah * cough * it's just * cough * oh god, this closet is a real dustbin." Jenna coughed before stepping out, giving a desperate smile at the vampire lying terribly close to me suddenly.

I felt obliged to take a step back. Then another and another, until I reach the beginning of the stairs.

My action did not seem to go unnoticed by the vampire as he suddenly turned to me with a barely surprised eyebrow. "Are you leaving us already?"

"I ... uh ..." I took a break visibly taken aback before signing the stairs in a total lie."I still have a lot of homework so uh ... yeah, I hope you find what you came for."

I was barely halfway up the stairs as the vampire's unequivocal response stopped me in my tracks. "Oh, but I'm counting on it."

I tightened my hold in spite of myself on the guardrail before retaining a swear word as I climbed the rest of the steps at full speed. I walked the last meters before slamming my door once in my room. I took a moment to try to regain my senses before raising my eyes on my closed door to the agreement of the door of the room of Elena. She had that distinct sound of squeaking.  
I thought it was a waste of time to give her a little warning now. I ran my fingers through my hair before taking off my elastic by blowing.  
However, my rest was only short as three free kicks were heard against the door.  
I frowned in a bad feeling before staying where I was. " Who is it?"  
"It's me, Elena." My sister answered in a visibly tense voice as I narrowed my lips before going straight to open her. "Can you come to my room?"  
I gauged her for a moment before just nodding as I left. I closed behind me before following her without a word.

To be honest, I was not particularly surprised to see Elijah looking out of Elena's window.

"I'm afraid you're worried about anything, Milan-Mila." The sophisticated vampire inquired at once before turning back to my sister and me seriously. "I don't want any harm to your family."

I swallowed visibly impressed by the vampire before leaving a silent breath clearly ready to get answers.

"Why are you calling me, Milana? No better, why are you there? O-or-or why did you kill those vampires who wanted to take Elena?"

"First of all, I would like you to be absolutely sure that no harm will come to you from my hands, Mila." He answered with an almost attentive tone letting me give a confused look at my sister before turning back to the vampire as he unbuttoned his suit jacket to sit on Elena's window sill."Then I killed those vampires because I did not want them to take your sister. Klaus is the most feared and hated original. Those who are afraid of him are ready for all to be seen. If he comes to know that the double exists ... or worse, that you exist Mila, they will be many to want to kidnap you to deliver to Klaus and that, I can't tolerate it."

Elena took a step forward to stand beside me before resuming in hesitation. "Because of ... Mila?"

"What?" I exclaimed giving an incredulous look at my sister before suddenly turning to the vampire in my panic. "That's not the reason, is it? I mean Rose and Trevor kidnapped us for you."

A slight smile appeared on the vampire's lips as he put his sparkling brown eyes back on me before turning to my sister with an evasive air. "Let's say that my goal is not to break the curse. "

"What is your goal?" Elena sighed, moving forward again.

"Klaus's obsessions have made him paranoid. He now lives behind. And only trust a very small circle." Elijah explained with a certain charisma.

"Like you? "

Elijah shook his head as he confessed. " Not anymore. "

"You don't know where he is, do you?" Elena spoke before taking a break.

This time, I let a long sigh leave my lips before letting me fall on Elena's bed in defeat."Great, it's only the umpteenth person who keeps telling us about this famous vampire but who doesn't really know where he is. "

"That's why I need you to stop trying to get yourself killed." Elijah answered, smiling politely despite his sarcastic tone.

"Again, not my idea." I breathed in a defensive act harvesting another of the vampire's breathtaking smiles.

"How can I know if you are telling the truth?"

"Seriously?" I exclaimed, raising my arms in disbelief before signing the vampire with a nod."The guy can wrench hearts with bare hands, I think we can say that he's just talking to us for the act of good faith."

I suddenly found myself looking away in timidity at the sight of the vampire's smile pointing in my direction before he resumed with ease."You should listen to your sister. I'm here and I'm prepared to make you an offer. "

"What kind of deal?" Elena asked suspiciously.

Elijah stood up letting me get up in my turn like a kind of magnetism before crossing my arms over my chest as Elijah walked around Elena's room. "It's very simple. Don't do anything. Don't do anything, live your life, stop fighting. And when the time comes, you and I will take Klaus out of his lair and make sure nothing happens to your friends."

"So what?" I asked, advancing in my turn in mistrust.

"I would kill him." Elijah answered, flipping around nonchalantly.

"Quite simply?" Elena quipped making me wince visibly impress.

"Quite simply." Repeated Elijah. "I'm a man of his word, Elena. When I make a deal, I stick to it."

I nudged my sister's ribs before whispering. "The guy is proposing to kill the big bad guy without compensation, don't stupid and accept."

"How are you all going to keep them safe?" Elena asked.

"You have a friend. Bonnie, right? She seems to have magical power. I too have friends who have magical powers."

"You know witches."

I immediately pinched the bridge of my nose at the offer too good to be true before letting a slight grunt pass my lips. "Whenever we thought we had the upper hand, we always had an event that reminded us of how close we were to winning."

"I can assure you that together we can protect everyone you care about, Mila." Elijah said, forcing me to lift my head to support his serious look. " You can trust me. I am here to help you. "

I swallowed hard under the effect of his intense gaze before supporting his contact with a deep sense of trust. Regardless of his nature or even what was happening with me, I felt a deep respect for the man in front of me. Maybe even a strange sense ... of love? It was very strange.

"Will you do everything in your power to keep those who matter to Elena and me alive?" I asked dubiously before giving Elena a look as the vampire nodded."All that to kill him? "

Elijah raised an eyebrow at my expression of mistrust before nodding again before resuming with a natural charisma. "My motives may still seem obscure to you but believe me when I say that my only goal is to kill Klaus."

I let out a sigh as I felt Elena's hesitant gaze on me before shrugging my shoulders as I supported her sparkling gaze."Personally, I'm more pessimistic about ourselves, but ... well, if someone offers to join the small group -save Elena- then ... yeah, let's go!"

I ended up on a small sarcastic note gathering a look of reprimand from my older sister before she turned to Elijah again."I have one more thing to ask you."

* * *

After negotiating Stefan's release at Elena's request, of course, I decided to go back to my room. I obviously still had a lot to think and even more to analyze. My confrontation with Katherine, Elijah and even that girl at Duke led me to almost nothing about myself. All I had learned was that I was, or at least I was supposed to be, a kind of reincarnation of a being dating back several centuries.

And I was ...

The sudden agreement of knocks against my door interrupted me in my train of thought. I frowned, keeping my eyes on my door before I sat up in hesitation. I filled the space between the opening with a slow, measured step before slowly turning the handle just to raise an eyebrow at the sight of Elijah.

"You?"

"I'd like to talk to you for a moment if you allow me." He begged, making a distinctive sign to my room. " May I come in?"

I gave him a suspicious look but took a step back to allow him access with slight sarcasm."Not that I could really refuse you. "

"You're suspicious of me." The vampire inquired, scrutinizing my room with undisguised interest before turning to me with a friendly smile."And this, even if your instinct convinces you otherwise."

I widened my eyes to his information before stammering a plausible lie."I ... uh ... I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please, Mila, no pretense." He objected with a real smile this time as he raised an eyebrow in defiance. "You know that your situation is different from your sister. "

This time I could not contain the sudden weight of fatigue falling on my shoulders as I dropped to the top of my bed before taking my head in my hands. "Everyone keeps saying that. First Vanessa, Katherine and now you? I'm not a doppelganger or at least, I don't think so. "

"You're not, I assure you. "

"So, what am I?" I asked in a weak voice as I made eye contact with the vampire. "Why does it seem so important for Klaus to get me? I'm of no use to him for the ritual."

Elijah suddenly seemed to hesitate as he narrowed his lips before settling into my desk chair."Your questions are laudable; however, I can only answer one of them."

"Because you can't or you don't want to?" I said immediately in a dry and weary tone.

"You remember me immensely from someone I knew, young Mila. He, too, always wanted to know everything that concerned him. He didn't really take well to be in the darkness." Elijah simply replied with a kind of distant expression before quickly resuming the conversation."As for one of your questions, Klaus is interested in you because you remind him of his past. Just like me. Except for myself, you remind him of someone he thought was lost forever. "

I looked away trying to digest this new information before suddenly turning my eyes on the vampire swallowing.

I supported his sparkling brown eyes before letting a short breath leave my lips. "Is that why ... I mean ... this connection-"

"Between you and me?" He interrupted me with a slight smirk, surprising me since he seemed incapable of any mischief. "Let's say you don't just remind Klaus of this lost person."

I frowned immediately in response, before shaking my head in curiosity. "Who is he for you? You say that you want to kill him and still ... you seem to know him."

"It was a long time ago." The vampire replied abruptly before visibly getting up on the start."I'd better get on with the job my sister asked me to do. "

I remained motionless for a moment, taken aback before taking a sudden step forward as he motioned to leave. "Wait! "

Elijah turned with an arched eyebrow, letting me cross my arms over my chest as I walked timidly toward the invincible vampire. "Are you really going to be able to save her? Elena, I mean. "

"I'm afraid it's more complicated. To be able to kill Klaus, I need to attack him when he's low. For that, I need the curse to be broken."

I felt my heart squeeze into my chest as I realized what he meant before giving him an accusing look. "You said you would keep her safe."

"And that's what I intend to do." He said with a sharp look in my direction. "About 500 years ago, I asked a very powerful witch group to concoct a cure."

I felt the realization hit me hard as I looked at the vampire again in a new light. "For Katherine."

"Many men fell under her charms." He agreed with a solemn nod of his head. "It's an elixir I always have in my possession."

"500 years old?" I grumbled dubiously before squinting my lips as the vampire shrugged before giving me a slight smile. "I guess it's the best plan we have right now."

"I'm sorry you have such a burden to wear at your age." He declared sincerely in his tone before suddenly putting his hand on my shoulder.

I stiffened at first before raising my head to meet his benevolent eyes. I forced a smile on my lips despite everything before giving him a simple nod. It was just a moment, but I almost felt like I was feeling current through my veins. And even when he left my room at vampire speed, I could still feel his hand on my shoulder.

I took a moment to observe my empty room before getting up to get my phone lying on my bedside table. I turned on the screen with a simple touch of my thumb on the central button before unlocking it quickly at the sight of Caroline's many calls. I dialed her number immediately and waited impatiently to hear the vampire's voice through the receiver. I tried twice in a row before losing patience. I hung up, heading straight for my desk chair and retrieving my hooded jacket and my car keys. I was heading straight for the stairs before suddenly stopping in front of our front door as I remembered with a grunt of Bonnie's spell. I retraced my steps, looking for my phone in my pocket before opening a conversation that I hadn't opened for a while.

 _ **Mila: Caroline needs help! You must help her. Pretty please.**_

I was waiting for a moment to receive an infuriating vampire's response before simply giving up the idea of getting an answer. I figured I could just hope he would help Caroline.


	35. Chapter 35 : Remove the complexities

**Chapter thirty-five : Remove the complexities**

I still had not heard from Damon and to be honest, I should have expected.

After all, the vampire was not really known to be the most reliable person in town. Especially when it concerned Caroline. Nevertheless, if I analyzed the situation sufficiently close to me, the new vampire seemed rather fit. The fact that she was having a conversation with Tyler on the school floor further eased my concerns about the duo.

However, my attention was soon entertained by the duo as the ringing of my phone called me. I took a look at the screen just to get it from the port stick on the windshield at the sight of the identifier of Felix.

"Felix, I-"

"I hope for you that you have a good excuse to explain my absence because my parents are on the verge of sending a squadron to look for me."

I paused at his statement before narrowing my lips as I looked back at the center of my steering wheel. "I don't know if it's really a good idea to come back, Felix. It only took a month before Tyler activated his curse and he's not even aware of half of what you know."

"And then what? I remain cloistered in your old family hut until the end of my life?"

"Do you really want to kill someone and activate the curse?" I snickered before taking a breath against the agreement of his silence. " I'm sorry. "

"No, it's my fault." He apologized in turn before breaking the silence again hesitantly. "And Tyler? How was his first full moon?"

I felt sincerely sorry for him as I imagined what could cross his mind. While the situation was complicated for Tyler but it was so for Felix. He had an edge over his head. Like most of us to be honest.

I let out a short sigh before leaning my hand against my steering wheel as I looked back at the duo of species stationed in front of the school just to see that they had been joined by Matt."He seems to be fine. A little tense between Caroline and Matt but-"

"Whoa, Whoa, Caroline, Tyler and Matt in the same sentence?" Exclaimed Felix through the receiver. "Why do I feel like I've fallen into one of those old 80s teen sitcoms? Totally cliché."

I let a slight smile adorn my lips at the agreement of the weary sigh of the brown before resting against the back of my seat."Two vampire brothers are fighting for my sister. I think we've been in one of those sitcoms for a lot longer than that."

"What an exciting life." Felix commented, making me squirm again. " So… "

The rest of Felix's statement was cut short for me as three knocks suddenly sounded against my conductive window. I jumped at the break of my intimacy before widening my eyes at the sight of Tyler. The latter readjusted the strap of his gym bag on his shoulder before making me sign to down my window.

I adjusted my decision on my phone before quickly apologizing to Felix as I hung up. I retrieved my bag from the passenger seat in haste before finally descending to face the accusing look of the big brown. "Where were you the other night?"

"I tried to come, okay?" I said, slamming my door before securing my vehicle as I pulled on my bag with a sigh.

Tyler rolled his eyes before taking a step back while leaning against the SUV. "Anyway, it was better that you were not there."

"No." I asked with resentment. "I said I would be there and I did not keep my promise. I'm sorry."

Honestly, between Tyler and Felix, I felt like I was constantly sorry. I was definitely the worst friend possible for werewolves. Certainly, I could not inherit the name of the girl who would run with the wolves.

Tyler gave me a long, conflicting look before finally sighing, turning to the duo further. " It doesn't matter. Caroline helped me. "

I raised an eyebrow at the sight of the brown looking on Caroline and Matt before immediately shaking my head in the negation. "Oh no! Huh, huh, out of the question! "

"What?"

"This look, I know it!" I pointed, signing his face with my index finger before shaking my head again. "It's the same as-no matter, I would not watch this train crash. "

I supported my statement as I headed for high school leaving Tyler grim in confusion before he jumped after me when he realized I was leaving."Hey, wait! It doesn't mean anything, Mila. "

Honestly, I had to admit that it was probably the first day in several months that I could attend a town event without any problem. I had even helped the city committee prepare the city's barbecue without worrying about leaving for an emergency.

It was soothing. And the fruit of a well-placed business. Elijah had offered to give us a trouble-free life and maybe he had a cure for Elena. It was more than we could have hoped. Not to mention that I did not have to worry about Felix's well-being or even his plausible explosions. He was currently hidden away from everyone and little in contact with a plausible victim.

Unfortunately it was almost too good to be true. And I was not long in realizing it as the ringing of my phone sounded in my pocket. I put the banner that I was about to hang on one of the tables available before rubbing my hands with dust to get my phone. "Hello? "

"Mila, help! I'm locked in one of the rooms at the boarding house! Rose has completely lost her mind, she's chasing me! She will kill me! "

"What? No!" I exclaimed, shaking my head in panic. "You promised Elijah not to get killed! "

"Seriously? That's only what you think now?" Elena shouted in disbelief as I rolled my eyes before looking around me.

I let a long sigh leave my lips before I jumped as one of the high school Cheerleaders rushed at me. "Hey, we need help with the barbecue."

I gave a look at the little brunette in an internal conflict before turning my back to her to resume the conversation with Elena. "Listen, shut you up and break the foot of a chair or something to make you a stake! Oh, and try to contact Damon!"

"What? Mila, no! Mila-"

I hung up before throwing myself through the little brunette. It was time for me to take advantage of the little time I could have.

* * *

Obviously it did not last. It seems that the annual barbecue was canceled because of one of the maintenance workers having a heart attack.

Unfortunately, when we knew what was going on in the shadows, it was easy to guess that it had been a new cover story for Sheriff Forbes. That, Elena's call and the fact that the attacks had taken place during the night, made me think that the author was not anything but Rose. A new carnage caused by a vampire and covered by the authorities. A new symbol showing how this city had become corrupted by the acts of the supernatural. And my family was complicit in all these killings. The latest events with Klaus made me forget my hatred for the vampire acts terrorizing our city. I had done everything. I tried to haggle with Katherine and lost. And again, I had made a deal again with Elijah. I had a deep hatred for Damon and still, I had agreed to forgive him.

All this for what? To find a new first page reporting a new attack to the scheme more than unrecognizable. It was almost signed Damon freaking Salvatore.

"Mila?" Jenna's voice from the floor below stopped me in my train of thought."There is someone for you. "

I gave one last look at the front page of the paper before taking a deep breath as I straightened my shirt.

I walked down the stairs without a hurry before taking a sudden pause with a deep frown in the middle at the sight of Tyler on our doorstep. "Tyler?"

"Mila." Tyler replied with his jaw clenching making me my frown.

"I think I'll leave you." Said Jenna visibly uncomfortable with our heavy silence.

I gave a look at my aunt's retirement before finishing my descent to face the new werewolf."Something's wrong?"

"I don't know. It's up to you to tell me!" He replied dryly, making me unwittingly take a step back. "What? Are you afraid of me now?"

I immediately crossed my arms on my chest obviously did not like the tone he took with me before raising the chin with pride. "What are you doing here, Tyler?"

"How could you?" The brown simply blew indignantly, causing me to frown a little more this time. "I thought he was your friend. "

"Excuse me?"

"I'm talking about Mason, for God's sake! He died and you lied to me." Tyler exploded, taking a step forward, before stopping by himself in a last moment of control.

I widened my eyes in realization before swallowing as I gave a look at his clenched fists. He was obviously in a fight with himself. Which meant that I had to walk on eggs with him especially.

"Tyler-"

"No, don't dare to deny!" He said with rage and anger before giving me another accusing look. "What else did you hide from me?"

This time, I felt myself becoming defensive as I thought about a Lockwood-Fell in particular."How dare you ? You come here to shout at me and then you demand answers? All I did was help you. I don't owe you anything. "

However, I was not slow to take a huge step back with a start as Tyler let out a grunt before tackling my stuff on top of my dresser. I watched with wide eyes of disbelief on the shards of glasses and the family picture now lying on the ground before returning my eyes to Tyler, heart beating. The latter glanced at the mess he had created before transferring his hateful eyes to my person. He shook his head in indignation before suddenly hastily ripping through our stairs, finally letting me out of my trance of fear.

"Tyler, wait!" I hugged as I jumped over the debris before stopping with my hand on the crack in my door.

I stared at my feet as I watched Tyler's fleeing back slamming the door before raising my head at the agreement of Jenna's question down the stairs. "Uh ... I heard noise upstairs, is everything okay? "

I wrinkled my lips in a straight line as I turned my eyes to our closed door before leaving a tired sigh. It was in these moments like these that I wanted more than anything Felix's presence at my side. Unfortunately, I couldn't risk putting him stupidly in danger by mere selfishness.

However, the person suddenly lying on Jenna's side reminded me of how far my life was from being freed from our problems. Jenna threw a deadly glare at the despicable man by her side before transferring her visibly disappointed eyes to me. It seems that this poor excuse from a father had told Jenna the truth earlier this morning. And now the situation just seemed to be getting worse.

I rolled my eyes on the blond I thought much again before returning to my room slamming the door. I could not stay one more second in this house. Even more with my last conversation with Tyler.

A mountain trip seemed horribly appealing right now.

Unfortunately, the agreement of my vibrating phone against my nightstand stopped me in my planning. I frowned, already preparing for the worst before sliding my finger along my screen just to hold a grunt at the sight of Caroline's message. I locked my phone to put in the pocket of my jeans before turning quickly on my heels to get my jacket back.

I ran down the stairs four at a time while pulling on my leather jacket over my crop-top sweatshirt before grabbing Jenna's SUV keys on the top of the entry cabinet just as John decided to make himself known. "Mila. "

"John." I said impassively, slowly turning to face him.

"There was a time, you called me Uncle John."

I immediately rolled my eyes in response before crossing my arms over my chest as I gave him a dark look. "Yeah, well it was before I learned what a jerk you were."

"You no longer flank Stefan and Damon Salvatore's side to what I see. Otherwise you would have been present when I arrived."He stopped me again in my attempt to leave. "What's happened? You finally opened your eyes?"

I clenched my jaw in irritation before curtly turning the handle of our door as I gave John a final look over my shoulder. "Even if I had, it's not your business."

With that, I slammed the door behind me before stepping briskly across the porch and driveway to Jenna's car. It reminded me of how much I needed to find a way to get my own car back. I climbed behind the wheel, adjusting the seat before turning on to go back to the neighborhood.

Once parked in front of the Forbes house, I retrieved my phone from the port before opening the door. I went up Caroline's driveway with a feeling of urgency before finally knocking on the door.

Not surprisingly, the blonde quickly opened the door on the fly with an alarmed look on her face as she let me in. "Tyler knows about Damon and Stefan. He also knows that Damon killed Mason. I swear I didn't say a word."

"It's this girl Jules." Suddenly intervened Stefan making his presence known as I narrowed my moralistic gaze on the vampire standing in the Forbes corridor in distress. "Damon cross path with her."

"Maybe you had to think about it before you killed him." I replied as I stopped at the height of the vampire, supporting his gaze.

However, the panicked momentum of the blonde at our side separated us in our silent exchange. "He was so angry. And this expression on his face. He looked deeply betrayed."

"Good duh! You killed his uncle!" I recalled with sarcasm lacing each of my words.

This elicited a frustrated long look from Stefan as he ran his hand down his perfect haircut."You don't help, Mil. "

"Promise me that you will not talk to Damon about it." Caroline immediately resumed, turning to us in panic.

"No risk. "

"According to him all werewolves deserve to die." Stefan added, proving my point as I pointed him sarcastically. "That's what hangs on Tyler's nose. Imagine that he decides to take revenge, that would be perfectly logical. Caroline, you could be killed."

The blonde immediately shook her head in denial letting Mila stand on the side to watch the duo continue their panicked conversation.

Obviously, I was the only one with a cold mind here. After all that had happened, and what was even more likely to happen, I sincerely thought that the Scouts Club would finally have learned to think rationally.

"It will not happen!" Caroline asked, eagerly. "Not if we move. We have to find him as quickly as possible and try to reason with him before he makes a big mistake."

I watched as Stefan looked away listening to the blonde reminding me again why I had befriended the blond in the first place.

Unfortunately now that I was not so involved anymore, I could not even see how much this friendship was impossible from the beginning. It was this friendship and his relationship with my sister that started everything and now that I knew that, I was not sure I would make the same choices if I had the opportunity.

"You have only to explain to him. You always have the words that must. I beg you. Tyler and I ... we are friends."

I turned my attention to the conversation as I felt the gaze of some sulky vampire on me before supporting Stefan's green forest gaze. The latter seemed to look for something in my eyes as he stood for a moment without saying anything.

Unfortunately I had spent too much time with the vampire to know how he works. Caroline's statement had made him think back to our own friendship.

Not feeling like talking about it now, I turned to Caroline with a definitive look."Tyler is Felix's half-brother. And incidentally, my friend. I have protected him until now. I intend to continue."

With that, I turned on my heels giving a last look at the blonde before overtaking Stefan on my way to the exit.

I was almost in the SUV when the Forbes door slam followed closely by the steps and Stefan's voice called out to me. "Wait, Mila! Can we talk? "

"Now is not really the moment, Stefan." I thought as I headed back to the SUV before opening the door to go up. "I have a werewolf to manage."

I was not waiting for the blond's answer as I was sitting behind the wheel buckling my seatbelt before straightening myself with my hands on the steering wheel just to roll my eyes at the sight of the vampire now sitting in the passing seat. "In that case, I'll come with you."

"Well, let's see, because the werewolf will definitely feel confident with one of the vampires who killed his uncle." I replied, sarcasm dripping from my lips before giving him a warning look. "Stay down, Stefanie. Your plan is doomed to failure."

Stefan immediately frowned at me at my insult before shaking his head slightly as he searched for my gaze. " You have changed. And it's my fault."

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed pushing myself against the seat back while pinching the bridge of my nose before giving him an irritated look."Can you stop the act of martyrdom for two minutes? For the millionth time, I chose to be friends with you. Just as I now choose not to be so ... "

I waved him down before crossing my arms over my chest as he made no attempt to get out. I supported his sparkling green eyes before letting out a sigh of defeat as I turned the key in the lock before entering the Lockwood Road. It was going to be a long way to the huge building.

"Remind me why we can't be friends anymore?"

I gave a side view of the vampire who decided to break our tense silence before putting my eyes on the road. I passed a new speed before turning into a new country road faithful to Virginia.

After a little thought, I decided to answer the first thing on my mind. "Because it was doomed from the beginning. "

"It never stopped us before." Stefan immediately recalled with a deep frown on my profile.

"Yeah? Well, we were stupid. And selfish." I grumbled under my breath as I finally left all my thoughts in the open air. "Because of that, of us, Caroline has become a vampire. Felix is likely to activate his transformation at any time. Tyler hates us. Vicki is dead, Matt is alone. And worst of all? Jer is likely to find himself in the same situation because of a freaking sacrificial ritual."

A silence fell on us in truth of my words before he turned his eyes to the road in realization."You blame yourself for everything that has happened. "

"I promised myself to protect them all."

"That's why you teamed up with Katherine." Stefan realized as he waved his hand in my direction before giving me a sympathetic look."Mila, it's not your responsibility. If it must be someone to blame, it's probably me."

A new silence fell on our duo as I finally parked in front of the Lockwoods before breaking the silence with a burst of laughter despite myself.

I could perfectly feel Stefan's puzzled look on my side before I turned my head in his direction, holding back the tears threatening to fall."We're pathetic. We're reproached for something that was probably out of our control from the beginning. "

"That's really what you think?" Stefan asked, sincerely hoping for some truth in my remarks.

I simply shrugged my shoulders in response before finally getting out of the SUV with the intention of cutting off this much too heavy discussion. Moreover, we still needed to reason with Tyler. If that was even possible with Stefan by my side. Speaking of the vampire, the latter was soon by my side as he quickly put a hand on my shoulder before making me turn around. I did not really have a choice in the subject as he suddenly circled his athletic and muscular arms around my figure before putting his chin on top of my head due to our blatant difference in height.

Despite all that had happened, I had to admit that I had terribly missed his hugs. Hence the reason I found myself hugging him back. To be honest, I was not really a fan of the gesture of affection. This had been seen before but now, at that moment, I could not decline his comforting embrace. Because at that moment, it was probably what I needed most.

Unfortunately, we still had a lot to do. Hence the reason why I unstuck at Stefan's first with the intention of returning to the Lockwood entrance.

"Hold on."

"What now?" I asked in a frustrating tone now as I gave him a dark look.

Stefan quickly joined my side making me look at him impatiently at the sight of his famous serious look. "You can't come in."

"Come again!" I shouted in disbelief.

Stefan glanced between the mansion and myself before squinting as he looked at me. "Just trust me. Please. I can't let you go alone."

"Are you implying what I think?" I challenged at once in a defensive instinct as I advanced on the vampire with a cold, calculating air."Because I sincerely hope you're not implying that Tyler is dangerous to me."

A look of surprise passed over his face to my threatening expression before he ran his hand down his lips in frustration. He gave a new look at the mansion before doing the unthinkable as I suddenly felt up from the ground before being literally transported in Aunt Jenna's SUV.

I barely had time to fully realize what was happening as Stefan had already stolen my keys to lock me in the cockpit.

I widened my eyes at the agreement of the familiar beep before testing the handle anyway. I struggled and pulled with all my might in a deep sense of anger and indignation before looking up at Stefan's window. "Stefan! Open me now!"

"I'm sorry, Mila. "

With that, the vampire disappeared at great speed, letting me look after him in total disbelief.

"Stefan? Stefan! Stefan! "

I immediately released the handle in anger as I let myself fall heavily against the seat before giving a look in search of a way to extricate me out of here.

"Shit!" I grunted in exasperation as I leaned through the seats to search the glove box. "God! There must be something that can help me here."

The ringing of my phone abruptly interrupted my search, letting me lift my eyes on my screen just to get up at the sight of Felix's contact.

I let out a sigh with a grimace before picking up. "Felix, hey!"

"Hey?" Repeated the brown man through the receiver before making a groan. "It's a little hey. What is happening?"

"Stefan has decided to lock me in Jenna's car because Tyler is dangerous!" I replied as I resumed my search in frustration.

"What?" Exclaimed Felix in disbelief. "Wait, Tyler? What's going on with him? "

I wrinkled my lips at the simple problematic thought of his half-brother before slamming the glove box into indignation. " It's complicated."

"When it's not?"

"Touché." I agreed, tilting my head to the side in agreement before throwing my head back against the headrest in defeat. "You can't unlock the door of a car by chance?"

"You can always try to search on the internet." Suggested the brown, making me pause with my eyes on the phone screen.

I raised an eyebrow weighing his suggestion before giving a slight smile of hope to the thought."You're awesome, Felix! I call you back, I have to go!"

I hung up the call with the brown before quickly connecting to my browser. I was on YouTube looking for a tutorial to teach me how to force a car from the inside.

"Bingo!"

* * *

Note to myself? Forcing a car was much more difficult than I had hoped.

However, after multiple tries, I was not slow to hear the click giving me a sweet feeling of victory. I hurried off the cockpit cursing Stefan as I could see the night now falling on the city. I did not hesitate for a moment as I rushed directly into the house knowing that Carole had left the building for a while.

"Tyler? Tyler, it's me, Mila!" I hurry as I stop in the lobby scanning the room quickly before heading to the living room.

I scanned the living room of the opening before I immediately glanced over my shoulder at the agreement of Tyler's voice. "Mila! Help me!"

I rushed back to the source of his voice before abruptly stopping in the entrance to the office in the sight of Stefan and Tyler.

I instantly set my sights on the brown across the room before laying an accusing finger on Stefan in retaliation. "The next time you lock me in my own car, I staked you with a stake soaked with vervain."

"Mila. "

"Hey, Ty." I gasped, stopping in front of the brown before giving him a quick review for any sign of injury. " You're okay?"

Tyler gave me a sharp look before taking a step back visibly annoyed by all this. "I would be much better once this asshole let me go! She will not be late anyway."

"She?" I asked, frowning before casting an incredulous glance at Stefan in the realization."You let him make a call? Are you completely incapable of doing anything?"

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, what did you just say?" Tyler exclaimed as he walked toward me just to be abruptly shooting through the room.

I tried to stabilize myself by clinging to Stefan as he finished our run near the entrance before quickly moving away in resentment.

"Okay, you want us to be friends? Ok, we're friends." Replied Tyler, giving a sarcastic look at us. "Are you leaving me now? "

"Listen, I don't know what else I can tell you." Stefan rekindled as he sat on the chair in front of Tyler. "I came back to Mystic Falls to build my life. I was looking for a place where I could make friends, start a family there. I found all that. We are both entitled to it."

I rolled my eyes at the agreement of his approach _\- the vampires are our friends, don't bite them -_ completely nuts.

A fact that Tyler also seemed conscious as he gave me an incredulous look by pointing Stefan."He's serious there? "

"Okay, if I speak, will you listen to me?"

Tyler glanced at me visibly for a moment before raising his hand in my direction, motioning me to speak. "You asked me what else I was hiding? You were right, I didn't tell you everything. You and Mason are not the only Lockwood wolves in town."

"Mila." Stefan warned immediately as he realized what I was doing. "You don't have to do that. You protected him for a reason."

This instilled a look from Tyler as he glanced alertly between the vampire and me. "What? How was that, we were not the only Lockwood wolves?"

"Sixteen years ago, your father had an affair." I paused to estimate Tyler's reaction before sharing a glance with Stefan as I continued."This connection leads to the birth of a boy."

"What-" Tyler whispered with deep frowns before jumping to his feet visibly in shock. "Do you mean I have a half-brother? And that my father, my mother, and I, have lived with him all our lives without even knowing it?"

I grimaced, bending my head before crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned over the nearest wall. "Only your mother, he and you didn't know about it."

"My bastard of father knew? "

Unfortunately, the conversation was soon interrupted as Stefan soon received a call from Caroline. I watched him walk away a bit to answer before giving Tyler a worried look as he seemed to be taking the news just as harshly as Felix.

However, my attention was soon to be again on Stefan to the agreement of the change of tone in his voice. "Who are you? ... Jules. Where's Caroline?"

I widened my eyes as I pushed myself out of the wall before sharing an alert look with the vampire in front of me.

"Where is she?"

"Stefan?" I asked in a bad feeling soon joined by Tyler.

"What is happening?"

"Touch her again and you're dead!" Stefan said, letting me imagine the blonde's case.

Stefan ended up hanging up before giving a look at our duet.

I supported his gaze in apprehension before swallowing in anticipation. "Stefan, where is Caroline? "

"They kidnapped her." Darkly announced the vampire leaving me to bite my lower lip in anxiety. "They want me to bring Tyler in exchange."

The latter widened his eyes as he turned to me before turning his eyes to Stefan pointing his chest. " Me?"

"Perfect! What are we waiting for?" I exclaimed with my arms open in anticipation before quickly getting into action.

Unfortunately, it was not counting on Tyler's more than boring intervention as he grabbed me by the elbow. "Wait, you can't come, Mila."

"Excuse me? "

I watched the brown glance at Stefan before he turned his attention to me at the vampire's nod. "I don't want you to be hurt-"

"Listen to me, Scotty, I just spent an entire afternoon in a fucking car." I glared at Stefan before pointing him at Ty. "I'm already on the verge of staking him so help me or I swear I'll end up using you as a target practice with arrows drenched in aconite. And you, with vervain."

I gave one last look at Stefan to prove my point with raising an eyebrow in expectancy as Tyler swallowed.

The latter immediately gave Stefan a look before dragging me sharply with him. " You drive."

I immediately took the lead visibly satisfied before handing my hand to Stefan waiting for the keys once in front of the door. The latter had the audacity to look at me sheepishly as he threw them through the hood.

I caught them with one hand before hastening to stop him once I saw him move towards the passenger side. "You go to the back."

"Mila-"

"Feel happy that I want to take you with us." I replied curtly before getting behind the wheel as he gave way.

Tyler hastened to take Stefan's place before standing on the handle as I took a sharp turn.I stepped on the floor as I navigated expertly across the familiar country roads.

But that was before Tyler asked me the long-awaited question. "So ... who is he? My half-brother, I mean?"

I unconsciously glanced at Stefan through the review despite myself before turning my attention to the road as I passed a new speed.

I pressed the accelerator again before tightening my grip on the leather steering wheel."It doesn't matter now. "

"What? Not important?"

"You going to save, Caroline?" I retorted accusingly, glancing sideways at him before sniffing disdainfully at his uncertain expression."Then you don't deserve to know him."

With my driving and my knowledge of the roads, we were not slow to approach the falls. I instinctively cut the headlights alerting the two passengers before rolling my eyes as I reminded them that we were not supposed to indicate our arrival from this moment.

Once parked, I went down quickly ignoring the two acolytes already walking towards the woods as I walked to the trunk.

It seemed to challenge the duo as Stefan turned to me at the agreement of the opening the trunk. " What are you doing?"

I did not even recognize him as I opened my huge sports backpack before grabbing my retractable bow and quiver. I rummaged through my pack of arrowheads looking for the aconite solution before putting it in my jacket pocket. I threw the strap of my quiver on my shoulder after closing the trunk. The look of Tyler and Stefan was already on me as I gave a simple jolt to my bow to unfold it raising dubious glances of the duo. I raised an eyebrow at their reaction before taking the lead by rolling my eyes.

Obviously, Tyler was the first to catch me as he tried to keep pace with me while watching the bow in my hands. "What's the arc for?"

"I told you I could protect myself." I grumbled under my breath before suddenly stopping at the sight of lights coming from a camp. "You go first. I will go around the camp to create a surprise effect."

I did not wait for their answer as I was already going in the opposite direction, leaving the duo looking after me with a sense of uncertainty and mistrust.

 _ **Tyler POV**_

They watched Mila pull on the hood of her black sweatshirt, and Tyler was honestly impressed that she made no noise despite her docs."Since when did Mila become a warrior?"

"I would say it's since I burst into her life but she has always been stronger than she let it appear."

 _ **Mila POV**_

I tried to ignore Stefan's response despite the small smile curving my lips before quickly composing my expression in concentration. I was not long in perceiving a silhouette among the trees as I made an effort to watch my steps. I carefully avoided branches and leaves that could signal my presence before searching my pockets for the vial. I hoisted myself up high and sheltered from the wind as I stuck the vial between my lips before taking an arrow from my quiver. I took the vial to soak my arrowhead before quickly notch in my bow as I spotted Stefan and Tyler approached the blonde. She had long curly hair on her shoulders and a long face with rather androgynous features. Shoulders developed and good physical construction, I could already imagine her in its shape of wolf during the full moons.

I was way too far to hear what they were saying but on the other hand, I had a very good view and I could not help but leave a curse at the sight of Damon's dramatic arrival.

Already preparing a bloodbath, I drew my bow before grabbing the rope as I closed one eye while waiting. My other eye aligned with the viewfinder, I analyzed the best angle to be able to destabilize enough the opponent. I needed enough time to avoid an attack against the trio and enough time to recharge.

However, from my point of view, I was not slow to feel my throat tighten as I was soon spotting movement behind the huge trailer in front of which Jules was standing.

I immediately changed my target just for damn Damon again knowingly as several men joined Jules. One of which looked particularly menacing as he gave an arrogant look at the trio. I took a deep breath as I tightened my grip on the rope before stretching it while stabilizing my arrow. I watched Damon throw at Jules first just to see her jump on the roof of the caravan to avoid him. As for Stefan, he narrowly avoided a flame spear before suddenly finding himself behind the gun owner. The latter grabbed him with a specific plan in mind as I changed target again.

"Mila! "

I took a quick breath as I suddenly released my arrow before leaving a smile on my lips as it lodged itself straight into the assailant's abdomen. A cry of pain echoed in the forest.

This appealed to all the fighters including Damon as he gave an incredulous look between the arrow and Stefan. "Mila?"

"Yep." Replied the latter shaking his head before avoiding another attacker as an arrow flew back into one of the attackers.

I kept a clear view of the fight as I clutched a new arrow to shoot straight into the hand of a crossbow shooter. I ran in a race around the field to give me more coverage before widening my eyes at the sight of Stefan and Damon falling consecutively. I quickly followed Jules after she shoot Damon with a gun before I widened my eyes as she suddenly grabbed Caroline to press her against the caravan. I felt my heart accelerate further in my chest at the sight of Jules pointing her gun on the head of the blonde.

At that moment, I did not think as I let myself be guided by adrenaline. I released my arrow ferociously, watching her lodge straight over Caroline before notching a new one like Jules, Tyler, Caroline and company all turned to me.

"Mila?" Caroline moaned as she gave me a side look as Jules tightened her grip on her gun.

"Release her or I swear to you that this arrow goes directly into your heart." I narrowed as I tightened, pulling more on the rope as I went.

"Do you really think I'm scared?" Jules breathed, giving me a threatening look.

I clenched my jaw as I kept my eyes on my target before leaning my head slightly with a cold smile. "I didn't miss one of my moving targets. Do you really think I could miss you?"

"You wouldn't dare with your dear little blood-sucker so close."

"You want to bet?"

However, it would seem that I would not have to shoot this arrow finally as a cry suddenly resounded behind the caravan soon followed by another. Including Jules and Tyler as they fell to the ground holding their heads in agony.

Caroline slowly turned around trembling before catching my eyes in total confusion."What's happening to them?"

However, my gaze was more focused on the author of this rescue as I met the eyes of a man with dark skin and ebony eyes. He had a long black coat reminding me of Elijah and a light goat around his lips. Internally, I knew it. I knew that man had been sent by Elijah. He was probably the same man who freed Stefan from the tomb with Katherine.

And as if to confirm my thoughts, the man turned to Stefan once he straightened up."Elijah made a promise to Mila and Elena. I'm here to make sure it's held so go in."

I retracted my bow while walking straight to Caroline at the request or rather the order of the man before helping the blonde to walk towards Stefan and Damon.

"Leave. Right now."

I pushed Caroline with Stefan and Damon to the car before getting behind the wheel. I casually threw my bow and quiver into the back seat deliberately ignoring Damon's suspicious and accusing gaze through the transient window before turning on the ignition.

After returning Stefan and Caroline to the blonde, I had made the way home. I needed to take a shower and change into a pair of warm clothes. Not to mention that I seriously needed to take a step back. I was completely out of my comfort line tonight and I was shooting at living beings right now. They were not point targets or even haystacks. They were current people on the move. Yes, they were werewolves and they had tortured Caroline, but that did not make things ok.

Nevertheless I could not help feeling some personal satisfaction. I had proved to myself and to Stefan, Tyler and Damon that I was able to take care of myself and that I was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

I could not wait to tell Felix all that.

Once home, I took my gear, my gym bag, and climbed the porch steps before closing the door behind me. I quickly scanned the entrance and living room through the opening before I dropped Jenna's keys on my way upstairs.

Honestly, I could not help but leave a long yawn once in my room. I dropped my gym bag at my feet on my way to the bathroom before jumping directly into the shower. Once showered, I put on a light pajamas made up of a simple boy's shorts, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of comfortable colored socks. I tied my long hair into a high ponytail before removing the towel from my shoulders as I lay on my bed. I turned my head to stretch my sore neck before cracking my arms visibly tense. I had almost forgotten the almost euphoric feeling that shooting gave me.

I had to resume my daily workouts. I could not let myself be taken aback after all. Because, despite everything, sacrifice, vampires, werewolves and the original, I was going to fight. It was not the education I received. I had been raised and raised to acclimate to survive.

My gaze fell unconsciously on the sports bag lying on the floor, leaving me to bite the inside of my cheek in uncertainty. I hesitated for a moment before jumping on my feet to kneel at the bag's height. I opened it carefully before pulling out my retractable bow and the rest of the arrows in my quiver.

"Did you put it to work tonight?"

I jumped in spite of myself with the sudden voice before glaring the man currently in the crack of my door coldly." What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to understand you." John replied, crossing his arms over his chest before taking a faintly confused breath. "Or at least I'm trying to get to know you again. Obviously, a lot has changed in the last few months."

I stood up and leaned on my thighs before grabbing the handle of my door and snapping it in his face with a sarcastic smile. "Good night, John."


	36. Chapter 36 : Care less more

**Chapter Thirty-six : Care Less More**

I let myself be rocked by the dynamiting music in my ears as I stabilized my breath at the same time as my heartbeat. My steps were regular and rhythmic and my breath was soothing. I needed a moment to get in shape and I thought that starting with physical exercise might help. Hence the reason why I was crossing the woods this morning of April.

I still had a lot to go to get back to where I was, but if I thought yesterday's shooting practice it was not so bad. I just needed to make sure my body was ready to escape in any possible situation. In addition, it allowed me to think and therefore to find more idea for my art project.

Unfortunately it seems that I was going to have to stop my training a little earlier as my phone, currently in an armband around my arm, rang. I stopped in the middle of my race trying to catch my breath before leaning slightly on my thighs. I ended up straightening up before picking up my phone just to frown on my phone screen.

I let my thumb hover over the icon to hang up before pressing the green instead. "Mila Gilbert, I'm listening. "

"H-hey, Mila." Stammered the brown at the other end, visibly uncertain. "It's Tyler. "

I rolled my eyes as I headed for a tree to lean on with my free hand to stretch."I know, Tyler. Contrary to what you might think I didn't erase your number."

"Yeah? You would be the only one." He mumbled, probably referring to a certain blonde vampire before he tentatively resumed. "So about yesterday…"

I raised my eyebrows in expectation as I sat against the trunk in a chair position before holding the position with a slight grimace. "Just spit it out, Ty. I'm a little busy right now."

"Really? Where are you?" The brown immediately asked me and I was removing the phone from my ear to look at it in confusion.

I shook my head as I remembered to stay focused. " Not important. So, what do you want? "

"I want to know. I want to know who my half-brother is, Mila." He declared in complete and complete honesty. "I'm totally lost right now and I think I need ... no I'm sure I need to get back on track. I need you to help me."

I chewed the inside of my cheek in uncertainty as I weighed the pros and cons in my head. Felix would probably not be happy that I had revealed their relationship. Especially since he hated the guy literally. But on the other hand, I knew what it was like to feel lost. I felt that way too many times. And this, even before the arrival of the supernatural in my life.

With that simple thought, I sat up, blowing slightly before rubbing the hollow of my neck with the sensation of sweat drops running down my skin."Fine. You can come to my house in ... let's say half an hour?"

"Yeah! Totally! Thank you, Mila, sincerely! Thank you!"

I shook my head with a small smirk as he hung up before returning my phone in my armband as I resumed my run through the woods.

Finally after taking a well-deserved shower and a tense call with Felix, I had changed into a plain jean with holes in my knees with a black turtleneck before heading to my closet. I tiptoed to reach the highest shelf before leaving a victorious breath as I descended on the soles of my feet with my beanie in my hand. It may have been nice in Mystic Falls but it was quite cool in the mountains.

Just as I headed for my sleeveless jacket, the doorbell rang. I hurried down the stairs before opening with a light, welcoming smile.

"Hey, you're going somewhere?" Tyler asked at the sight of my somewhat over-covered outfit for a day in April.

"Correction, _we_ go somewhere." I replied as I let him in before giving him a look almost excited as he turned to me in puzzlement.

"I don't understand. "

This time, I just rolled my eyes before I told him to wait here as I went up the stairs. I was eager to catch my essentials such as my boots, my sleeveless down jacket and my beanie before going down again when I finished getting dressed. I stopped at the height of Tyler before beckoning him out once I had recovered Jenna's keys. She was basically doing this writer thing today with Alaric so she was not going to need her car. I did not even think Elena might have chosen that day to date with Stefan. All that interested me at the moment was the smooth running of this operation as well as the slight doubt hovering over my head at the thought of finding myself between two impulsive werewolves. So that's how Tyler and I were on the road heading to meet Felix.

The cabin was about three hours away and we had about half of it. Tyler had been strangely calm during the first part of the ride until he fell asleep. I found myself mostly alone with my thoughts and worries to distract me from the long road ahead. And my cup of coffee obviously. I took a sip of the latter by licking my upper lip with caffeine palpitating on my tongue before resuming my light drum with my fingers on the wheel.

At least it was until my grumpy teammate awoke with a slight growl towards me."Just stop this damn sound, Mil."

"Oops, sorry. I tend to forget about super-hearing sometimes." I huffed with a slight smile in his direction before turning my eyes to the road through the windshield.

Tyler just rolled his eyes in response and readjusted to the uncomfortable seat as he glanced at the dashboard clock. "How much longer until we arrive?"

"Mhm, a little less than an hour." I answered absently, clearly unaware of Brown's hidden intentions.

I could feel his thoughtful look on my profile as he let his tongue snap against his palate before having the audacity to steal my coffee."Hey, can we know what you're doing?"

"I'm exhausted and thirsty. "

I rolled my eyes at the brown's complaints before grabbing a bag of sugar from the cup holder and throwing it in his face.

"Hey!" Moaned again the brown obviously taken by surprise.

I left a smile in the satisfaction animating more boredom from him. " You deserved it. Idiot. "

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

This time, a comfortable silence settled on our duet as I doubled a car in front of us.

"Still don't want to tell me who he is?"

"Given the number of things I had to give up organizing this meeting?" I replied with a sarcastic look at the brown before shaking my head in determination." Absolutely not."

Tyler immediately frowned in confusion at my statement. "What is it supposed to mean?"

"Let's say you're not his favorite person in Mystic Falls." I replied, tilting my head slightly to the euphemism before giving a wary look at the wolf. "Or your entire family for info. "

"Who is this guy? Some pompous asshole?" Grumbled Tyler making me give him a warning look.

I shook my head already preparing for the worst before frowning in doubt."First, he's your half-brother. He's just as likely to become a wolf so it would be nice if you could get along."

"Susceptible? He didn't trigger it?" Tyler asked, really interested this time.

I winced despite myself at my thought before whispering under my breath in concern." For the moment. "

The rest of the journey passed under a silence extended by my last declaration. Tyler had just finished my coffee before finally releasing a sigh of relief once I parked the car. At least it was until I informed him about the hike that was waiting for us. It was at this moment that he decided to speak again as I readjusted my backpack containing new necessities for Felix. Such as bubble baths, typically gay clothes and his favorite fashion magazines. It was also a condition for this meeting. I honestly could not believe how much it was going to cost me.

"So ... he's not a werewolf yet?" Tyler suddenly asked me to give him a silent nod. "But he knows absolutely everything? All that happens in the town?"

This time I rolled my eyes at the judgment and jealousy of the brown before shaking my head."I tried to preserve him as long as possible from this world. He has not known the truth for a long time."

"Why? I mean ... why did you try?" Tyler asked again with a slight frown.

I wrinkled my lips in search of an answer before just shrugging my shoulders."Because he counts for me. And I have seen enough of this world to know that it's not pretty."

"Like the other night? "

"Much worse." I said in a dark tone before blowing as I gave him a quick look. "Accelerate, you look like my grandmother."

"Ha, ha! Hilarious." Grumbled Tyler as he hastened to join me before adapting to my rhythm.

A new silence fell on us as I reflected on the possible outcomes of this meeting before giving Tyler a new, anxious look. I nibbled on my lower lip and held a hiss of pain when I felt a trickle of blood on my tongue.

I tightened my grip on the straps of my backpack before taking another look at Tyler."How you're feeling? I mean after all that? Your half-brother and Jules?"

"Well, that's not really what we like to learn every day." Tyler admitted, tilting his head before shrugging his shoulders in uncertainty. "And as you know, I'm a little lost right now so ... I don't know. I tell myself that sharing my gene with someone else who is not biased would be a good idea."

I nodded in agreement before giving him a look in the realization. "Jules and the others are gone? Isn't it?"

"Huh? Oh, uh ... yes, I guess."

I frowned at his strangely guilty look before deciding to put it on the fact that he had not supported his specie. At least I sincerely hope so.

"And uh ..." I raised an eyebrow at the hesitant brown as he spoke again before meeting my gaze as he swallowed. "This half-brother, he's also aware for the look-alike?"

"Mhm, mhm." I huffed absently into unconsciousness before straightening into suspicion."Caroline also told you the story of doppelganger?"

"What's what?" Tyler asked in confusion, making my eyes narrower.

"Look-alike."

A silence settled between us as Tyler strangely avoided my gaze in realization before attempting to act as calm as possible. "Oh yeah that. Yeah, she told me about the moonstone and the ritual of the sun and the moon."

I raised my eyebrows to his knowledge before cursing Caroline under my breath for her big mouth. She definitely could not keep a secret.

Once back, I was definitely going to have a discussion with her.

"Obviously, Caroline told you everything." I grumbled under my breath before shaking my head. "I'm sorry your uncle had to be killed for that. He was my friend. If it helps, I didn't participate in his death. They did this behind my back."

A look of surprise and pain crossed Tyler's face to my statement reminding me that I had not really been able to mourn the death of Mason with all that had happened.

"He liked you a lot."

"Until he gets lobotomized by this bitch Pierce." I gasped under my breath, gathering an eyebrow at Tyler's question. "Katherine, the superstar of Satan personified. She manipulated your uncle with ... Ew, sexual favors to get the stone."

Tyler's eyes widened at the agreement of this element of truth before leaving a slight smile in spite of himself. "You're not very liberated, are you?"

"Don't be an asshole, please!"

"What?" Exclaimed Tyler with a broad smile now as he threw his muscular arm over my shoulders before squeezing me into his side with mischief. "Sex. Sex. Sex."

I shivered in terror before pushing him away with a growl as he continued his childish little game.

I could easily hear his sneer as I hastened to speed up in annoyance and embarrassment. "Oh, come on, Mila! Let go a little!"

"No thanks!" I screamed over my shoulder before suddenly stopping as our lake cabin was in front of us.

Tyler hurried to join me at a run before stopping by my side with a definitely more serious expression as he realized where we were.

He swallowed in anticipation before giving me an almost frightened look. "Does he really hate me? "

"Not as much as your father." I tried, tilting my head to the side before taking a step forward.

I climbed the steps leading to the porch before giving one last look at Tyler to see if he was ready. The latter seemed to bounce on the tip of his feet in the nervousness leaving me wrinkle my lips before turning the handle. I made my entrance trying to ignore the feelings assailing me before staying literally crashing into the entrance under the weight of memories.

"Mila? Hey, Mila, you're, all right? "

Tyler's voice seemed strangely far away as I drowned under the weight of my parents' laughter and voices. It was like reliving the process of mourning from the beginning. All my limbs were literally petrified. Just like my brain.

"You? What did you do to her?"

"I ... I don't know. She froze suddenly. "

"Shit! It's her parents' house!"

I was trapped in a loop of memories again.

However, the feeling of hands suddenly on my shoulders forced me out of my abyss by waving my head to clear the thick fog obscuring my thoughts.

"Hey, hey, Mila, get back together! Now, now, Mila!"

I blinked at the agreement of the familiar voice before looking with slight surprise at the brown in front of me. "Felix? "

"Hey, little bitch." Felix sighed with a weak smile before suddenly throwing his arms around my neck to hug me. "Never do that to me again. I'm the time bomb. Not you. You remember?"

I left in spite of myself a hoarse laugh as I struggled against the tears threatening to fall before tightening the brown by readjusting my head against his shoulder.

However, the embrace was soon cut short as the boy duo met the other's eyes. I could feel Felix stiffen against me as he took a strained step back before ogling Tyler scornfully. A feeling visibly sharing if I believed Tyler's slanderous expression.

"Lockwood. "

"Fell. "

A heavy silence fell between us as they continued to support the other's gaze in distrust, letting me look between the duo with apprehension.

Nevertheless, I decided to speak again in an attempt to break the tension."So ... what if we sat down to talk?"

Unfortunately, they remained in their position as if one of them would admit submission if he looked away. Completely weak in my opinion but I suspected that it had more to do with their side wolf.

"Or you can stay here." I gasped in defeat before deciding to turn my heels towards the kitchen.

They could come when they have finished their stupid little contest of territory.

I was trying to get used to the environment with most of my best memories with my parents before heading to the closets. I watched the space noticing that the cupboards had recently been replenished before leaving a smile in spite of myself at the sight of the box of hot chocolate. I took the package out of the cupboard and trotted around the kitchen to get three cups. Chocolate, it was the moment to show your softening virtues. I let the milk boil, glancing discreetly towards the entrance before shaking my head at the sight of the duo exchanging a few words or rather threats if I believed their positions.

I finished preparing the cups with a few pieces of marshmallow before putting the cups on the counter. "Bethoween? Marley? Are you done with your stupid piss contest?"

It seemed enough to unfreeze them from their confrontation as I could hear them grunting in protest.

"A dog's joke?" Felix offended as he stepped into the kitchen, letting me give him his cup before passing Tyler's, surprising the duo.

Tyler took the cup with a raised eyebrow before giving me a flat look." A hot chocolate? How old are we? "

"You don't want it? Fine by me."

Tyler immediately pulled the cup close to his chest as I pretended to resume before giving me a possessive look. "I never said I didn't want it. "

Incomprehensible.

I shook my head leaning on the counter before giving a look at the duo expectantly.

At the sight of my insistent gaze Felix narrows his brown almond-shaped eyes on me. "What?"

"Well? You spoke? "

"To tell him what?" Tyler snapped, leaning back against the wall while giving a dark look at Felix. "This fa-guy can't be my brother."

Felix immediately put his mug on the counter unceremoniously before taking a step forward towards Tyler. "Do you want to say that again to see?"

Tyler straightened instantly in a sign of struggle making me turn around in anticipation."Enough!"

The duo jumped at my shine before gauging me with wide looks.

I shook my head in frustration before crossing my arms over my chest as I held their eyes in disappointment. "Brand dead moron fucking idiot! You are currently the closest to a family for both of you. You're going through the same thing. You, Felix, Tyler knows exactly what you're feeling right now. As for you, Lockwood, I thought you wanted someone impartial, right. There is no more just than Felix in this situation."

I could see the impact of my words on the duet as I clenched my jaw in irritation before resting my cup in indignation.

"In fact, you know what?" I exclaimed clearly weary of this whole story. "Fix your problems between you. I don't care if you fight. It's been months since I came back here. I have something else to worry about."

I shook my head one last time on the duet before passing between them as I headed for the living room. I crossed the room with a quick step before sliding the bay window to go outside. A deep feeling of nostalgia overwhelmed me as I took in the almost magical landscape of the lake. I went instinctively to the Panton before finally stopping at the edge. I felt my legs suddenly give way under me forcing me to cushion my fall with my hands flat against the wood.

I felt tears again, which could overwhelm me as I remembered the number of memories haunting the place. Six-year-old Jeremy breaking his arm while diving from the dock because of one of my challenges. My father taught Elena to fish while I practiced my target practices. Everything reminded me of my parents and even more of my future to come.

May I even come back here one day?

No matter if I had the opportunity, I was deeply and sincerely relieved to have been able to come back here at least once.

Unfortunately my little moment was soon interrupted by a voice too familiar to my taste."Mila? An explanation?"

I immediately looked over my shoulder at the author of the question simply to frown at the sight of my sister and Stefan beside two nervous wolves.

"What are you doing here?" I exclaimed, leaping on my feet, definitely annoyed now.

Elena looked unnecessarily outraged before crossing her arms over her chest."What are we rather asking you for? And did you really allow Felix to stay here without telling us?"

"Since you tried to sacrifice myself with you it's the least you can do." Bitterly recalled Felix receiving a shameful look from Elena as Tyler and Stefan gauged him in surprise.

"I-I-I ... Félix-"

"Spare us your false excuses!" I interrupted her dryly as I hurried to join the future wolf visibly in prey with his control. "The house is big enough for all of us. Just don't cross each other. "

With that, I pulled Felix with me into the house without a glance back before going upstairs.

* * *

That was how Felix, Tyler and I were in my old room. The tension was visibly palpable between the two wolves. Hence the reason why I tried at best to contain myself. I had to admit that the presence of Elena and Stefan had the gift of exasperating me.

"Okay, she really tried to sacrifice you?" Tyler finally intervened, clearly weary of the silence between us.

Felix lifted his eyes from his magazine to gauge him with irritation before grinning bitterly."Yep."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. "

"You need a wolf and a vampire in addition to the lookalike to break the curse." I interjected immediately at Tyler's gaze.

The latter lowered his eyes on his crossed hands before creasing his lips. "In addition to the moonstone. "

"That your father has been hiding for generations." Completed Felix with disdain, receiving at once a defiant look from Tyler.

"He's your father too."

Felix rolled his eyes, turning a new page nonchalantly. " Sadly."

Tyler rolled his eyes back to the brown showing once again how similar they were despite their reluctance. I could not help but look for the similarities between them since I had learned the truth. It was just so obvious now that they were in the same room. The same line of square jaw, the same skin tone slightly tanned and a character easily recognizable in one another. For starters, they were two major flirts. Certainly, in two different categorical but they were as charming as the other. Then there was their temperament.

"Hey, did you bring back what I asked you?" Felix finally asked in a way to change the subject.

I hummed in agreement before signing the bag at the foot of the bed. Felix immediately gave a smile to his fleshy lips before picking up the bag eagerly. I shook my head with a smirk on the brown before turning my attention back to Tyler just to amplify my smile at the sight of his look at Felix. He seemed to be watching him deeply. As if he were looking for something in common. Which in my opinion was a pretty good start. Knowing Tyler it probably was.

Thinking it might be a good idea to give them a moment to bond, I jumped on my feet alerting the duo.

"I'm going to take a walk around the house." I said as I headed for the door before stopping to give them a wary look. "Can I leave without fear of you two jumping at each other's throats?"

Felix immediately rolled his eyes before dismissing me with a wave of his hand. "In the worst case, I'll end up killing him to unleash my curse."

"Very funny." Tyler coldly commented, letting me smile in the fun on their unlikely duo.

I finally passed the door closing behind me before letting my eyes take in my environment with habit. I felt my heart squeeze in my chest as I took a step towards a specific place. I walked down the stairs absently, letting my hand slip on the rail of the doorframe before holding a roll of my eyes as I passed Elena and Stefan flirting in the kitchen.

* * *

 _ **Stefan POV**_

He was currently cutting the vegetables for dinner with Elena and the group of three living upstairs. He could feel Elena's loving eyes on his side letting him give her a new smile. She was definitely his greatest love. He knew it now. He would do everything for her.

"Mila? "

He immediately raised his head at Elena's whispering agreement before gauging her with confusion just to see her frown at a point at the other end of the room. He followed her gaze simply to lay the knife with a feeling of sadness at the sight of the fleeing back of the little brunette. He would lie if he said he did not miss her. She had been there with him from the beginning, and she had been the one who brought him the most support and confidence since he had arrived in Mystic Falls.

Where he loved Elena deeply, Mila was a different story. It was a totally different love. Not exactly that of a brother for a sister but rather a love still unexplored. He was sure that the darkest part of his being wanted her. And yet, she was probably the only person who could remind him of his humanity all at the same time.

Hence the reason he could not help but worry about her. And more at this moment. He had been so enclosed by Elena today that he had not thought once that she might also have a hard time remembering her parents' memories.

"Stefan? What's the matter?"

Stefan immediately looked at Elena before raising his finger to signal her to hold as he walked around the counter." I will come back."

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

I was not long in finding the room I was looking for with a deep sense of sadness. I entered slowly and uncertainly before holding my breath once I took in my surroundings. It was exactly as in my memory. Absolutely nothing had changed. A look on my right and I could see all my mother's perfume bottles. A look to the left and our grandfather's jacket was still hanging against the door. The bed still had that horrible blanket that Mom loved and the dim lights still lit up the room in an almost mystical way.

It was the place where I was born.

I literally rubbed my cheek as I felt a tear drop out of my control before I headed for the open closet. I had a foot inside with the intention of immersing myself again in the smell of my parents. I missed them so much and with the arrival of Jenna was almost as if they were no longer there. She had taken their bedroom and most of their belongings were in cardboard boxes. There was no way to remember their smell.

I brushed the clothes with the fingertips in hesitation before taking a knitted red scarf. It was my mother's. Unconsciously, I brought it to my nose before closing my eyelids as I breathed the perfume emanating from the tissues. It was almost like she was in the room. Except that she was not really there.

My throat clenched at that thought before I let out a breath and jumped at the new voice in the room. "Mil-sorry. I didn't want-"

"No it's okay." I interrupted quickly as I lowered the scarf of my face before giving him a curious look. "What are you doing here, Stefan?"

"I wanted to make sure you were fine." He replied with a slight, comforting smile that almost made me want to do the same until he spoke again."Elena had all her memories today and-"

"I'm fine, Stefan. You can go back to see my sister." I replied dryly as I put on the scarf before taking a breather at the sight of the paneled wall.

I frowned as I approached the irregular space before pressing my hands to test the wood.

An action that touched Stefan as he hastened to join me in perplexity." What are you doing?"

"It's a fake wall." I admitted, testing the wood looking for a lock. "I'm pretty sure there is something else behind it."

Stefan hastened to join my side before asking me the place." Let me do. "

I took a step aside watching him remove the beige wood slat before amplifying my frown as a back door was behind."What is it?"

Stefan tested the handle in the reflection. "It must be a hiding place. "

"Can you open it?" I asked impatiently as Stefan gave me a look over his shoulder before pulling the handle. "Useful. "

The vampire smiled weakly before pushing the door just to let my eyes widen at the sight of the arsenal inside.

An expression soon to be shared by my dear sister as Elena hurriedly waltzed into the room before stopping behind us visibly in the dark."Hey, what are you doin-oh, it's not true!"

"Welcome to the secret side of the family." I sarcastically commented after resuming my shock before shaking my head as I took a step into the secret room with slight fascination.

Elena hastened to follow me slowly before taking one of the diaries on the shelf."Surely another diary by Jonathan Gilbert. Jeremy already has one but there were several according to John."

"Look at that! An antique crossbow with a pulley!" I exclaimed in excitement before seizing it under the incredulous eyes of the duo as I pivoted on my heels. "It's crazy!"

"I'll go get some wood. Take all the time it will take." Stefan announced pushing himself out of the crack before giving me a sharp look. "Be careful. "

I rolled my eyes as I rested the crossbow to set my sights on a wooden bullets box instead. This hiding place was literally my new corner of paradise.

"We have to bring everything home." I decided in the excitement, immediately receiving a flat look from Elena.

The latter put the box of the bullets that I had just passed before giving me an incredulous look. "How can you be so excited? Our parents have been lying to us all our lives. "

"Did you just realize it?" I replied with disdain before I took back the box of her hands in annoyance. "You may see a proof of their lie but I see a memory. A heritage. If you don't want anything to do with it, you can leave, I will not hold you back."

I immediately turned on my heels clearly not in the mood to hear more.

Unfortunately the sensation of her small eyes of guilty doe hovering on my back had the gift to soften me.I tried to ignore the brunette at my side as I took a wooden stake to observe before tightening my jaw to the agreement of her voice.

"I am sorry. It's just ... I feel like our lives are filled with secrets. I'm tired of that."

I tried to contain myself only I was not slow to let go a long sigh aggravated as I gave way to my emotions. I suddenly rested the stake in its place before pivoting on my feet to face her with my arms crossed on my chest.

"Flash info Elena, we're all tired." I exploded visibly tired of her egocentrism. "We all had our share of supernatural shit just in case you didn't notice it. Everyone around you, from us, has had a lot of nightmares. Caroline has become a vampire, Tyler and Felix have discovered that they're lycanthropes, Bonnie is a witch and… Damn, even Jeremy, who is human, has had lived a nightmare since the arrival of the Salvatore brothers."

Elena widened her eyes throughout my tirade before quickly frowning at my understatement."You don't mean that-"

"Yes, Elena! I want to!" I interrupted insistently, hoping to show her the truth. "All this started because of the brothers but if it went so far, it's because of us. It's you who continue to go out with Stefan despite the fact that the cemetery in our city is getting bigger and bigger. And it's me who supported him against all odds. We're selfish, Elena!"

I stopped to catch my breath before pushing my frozen sister from the passage to exit the confined space.

Unfortunately it was not counting on the hovering presence of Felix as the brown stiffened at my sight visibly took hold of the fact. He gave a glance between myself and the opening of the room in sympathy before giving me an uncertain look.

"What's going on, Felix?" I asked in spite of my stormy mood showing my desire to totally ignore this incident.

"I don't really know. Tyler said he was going to get you and he still has not come back."Announced the brown with a slight frown, letting me arch one of mine."I know he could have just avoided me, but he was suspicious enough after you left."

"Suspect? Tyler? How?"Elena intervened, joining my side with a slight nervous look in my direction.

I wrinkled my lips in thought before shaking my head in annoyance."Let's find out! He can't be far away." I quickly returned to the living room with the other two in my suite while giving a suspicious look at Felix. " What did he tell you?"

"Things about wolves and moonstone." Answered the brown in uncertainty. "He wanted to know if I wanted to be normal again."

"Becoming normal again?" Elena questioned us.

I stopped suddenly with a hand in the air at the open front door before taking a quick look at the duo behind me. "Felix, go upstairs and lock yourself up."

"What? "

"Trust me." I whispered eagerly before turning to an anxious Elena. "Go to the closet. Bring me back my toy."

Elena immediately frowned in confusion. "Your toy?"

I kept my eyes rolling as I pretend to fire at the crossbow.

Elena hastened to shake her head in the negation making me wrinkle my lips in frustration."Just do it, Elena!"

"Mila, no. "

I cast a new look at the open door before pushing Elena against her will. The brunette tried to resist before finally giving in as she turned on her heels. I recoiled instinctively as she handed me a stake, she had cleverly brought with her before taking it. I gave her a nod as a thank you before turning my back the moment, she left the room. I tightened my grip on the stake as I cautiously advanced to the exit. I could feel my heart speeding up as I walked through the doorway watching the outside. It was dark now and Stefan's Porsche was parked in the gravel road.

However, my attention soon swerved away as I felt a presence behind me before reacting instinctively. I planted the stake in the chest of my assailant before hastening to return to the house.

I slammed the door with all my might as I turned the locks before turning to the living room."Elena, now or never! "

"Mila, here!" The brunette exclaimed as she came out of the corridor with the crossbow before making me sign to follow her upstairs.

I climbed the stairs four at a time ignoring the sound of our door slamming before widening my eyes in fear as Felix suddenly came out of the corner. " What are you doing? Run!"

I pulled the brown by his shirt before pushing him to one of the rooms with Elena at my side.

"I had to smell, my dear. "

I widened my eyes at the agreement of the hoarse voice coming from the floor below before lowering my eyes on my T-shirt. I grumbled under my breath before removing it under the panic-stricken eyes of Elena and Felix. I rushed into the next room before putting it on the bed as bait. I then turned back to the other room where the duo was before bringing my finger to my lips to signal them to shut up.

I took the crossbow from Elena's hand, getting ready by loading it just to give an exaggerated look at my stupid sister at the sight of the obvious lack of ammunition.

"Where are the arrows?" I murmured in indignation, receiving a panicked look from my sister.

I immediately turned on my heels, restraining myself from swearing loudly before settling on the stairs. I leaned over the half-open door to watch him, before quickly signaling to the duo when the wolf entered the room. I went out first paying attention to my steps before slowly going down the stairs with the duo behind me. I accelerated through the living room once downstairs before taking a break as Elena interrupted me.

She took the doorknob and slammed it for distraction. Then she waved us back to our path, taking the lead.

I watched Felix over my shoulder before going back into the secret room. Felix took a moment's pause at the sight of the arsenal. "Whoa! What is that?"

"Shut up and go in!" I hissed impatiently before heading straight for the arrows.

Elena hastened to put a stake in Felix's hands, letting the brown stare at her as if she had just grown another head. "What do you want me to do with that?"

"A stake. A Villain. I let you guess." I replied coldly as I cocked the crossbow before stepping out of my concentrated state to give a reminder of the brown. "Avoid deadly places."

Felix let out a small incredulous grunt before quickly following Elena as she pulled him out the door. I hurried to join them before holding my breath as I heard the intruder enter the closet. He slammed the place before abruptly opening the door, letting me lift the crossbow aiming at his leg. I waited for him to enter the room a little more before letting go of my arrow, soon followed by Elena and Felix as they dug their stakes in his pulpit. We took his fall as a sign to get the hell out of the closet before heading off into a race outside.

However, the sound of a hand against the flesh and the growl of a dying man appealed to us. We peg on our feet against the gravel just to widen our eyes at the sight of our attacker now lying on the ground with a gaping hole in his chest. Conversely, Stefan was standing above him with the missing part dripping between his fingers.

" Oh fuck!" Hailed Felix moving back to my side in terror.

Stefan immediately let go of the heart in realization before advancing towards us." It's okay? Are you all well?"

Elena obviously rushed to join her boyfriend as she threw herself on him to hug him while I narrowed my eyes on his hand bloody with disgust. Nevertheless, I lowered the crossbow to my side just as a long weary sigh passed my lips. I nodded to Stefan as a sign of thanks before sharply setting my sights on a newcomer.

"Tyler!" I groaned in the realization, stopping the brown immediately in his approach.

The latter wore an expression of pure shame as he raised his arms as a sign of surrender."I had absolutely no idea what they would do. I swear to you. And then ... what I became. I'm so fed up, I can't support more. I-"

I was about to go forward with the intention of sticking my fist in his face, but a firm hand stopped me. I put my bored eyes on my obstacle before raising my head with a surprised look as I realized it belonged to Felix. Only the latter did not give me the time to question him as he walked towards Tyler with a determined step. He stopped at the height of Tyler to gauge him from his height since he was taller than him before surprising everyone as he grabbed him by the shoulder to hug him.

I remained literally speechless as a warm feeling swelled inside my chest at sight. Tyler literally gave in to his brother's arms, letting me smile in spite of myself as he asked us to forgive him.

* * *

"You knew ? "

I jumped at Stefan's blast before looking at the vampire with a frown. " Know what?"

"Elena was going to let herself be sacrificed." Stefan answered dryly, letting me wrinkle my lips in the realization.

"You know." I agreed, uncrossing my legs to sit on the side of the bed under the incredulous vampire's eyes.

"That's all you said?" He exclaimed in indignation as he walked towards me. "Why did you let her do it? Are you completely unconscious? I thought you were more thoughtful than that."

I jumped on my feet, clearly weary of his reproaches." Exactly! I'm thinking. Elena is too. You are the only ones who don't see the truth in the face. "

"Which truth?"

"It's our fault!" I exploded in guilt before shaking my head at the vampire, "Don't you see? Too many lives have already been ruined because we thought we could handle the supernatural. We're like a poison spreading slowly in the lives of our loved ones."

Stefan was literally speechless under the weight of my revelations before licking his lips in anger. "I will not let her die. No way."

"It's her choice!" I said, gauging him with a knowing look knowing full well that I was going to cross the line. "You also want to make her choice?"

Stefan froze under my charge, staring at me with a haunted look before lowering his shoulders in disappointment. "You want so much to see her die?"

"What did you just say?"

Stefan held my gaze with a hint of retribution in his forest-green eyes. "You totally lose control. Obviously, you don't know what is separating right from wrong if you let Elena voluntarily die."

I supported the vampire's dark gaze with my jaw clenched as I tried to control my emotions before finally giving in to my impulses as I filled the gap between us to stand up to him.

"Don't test me Stefan." I warned him in a low voice as I narrowed my eyes on the vampire."You don't know anything I can do. "

I watched the vampire turn around with a deep sense of finality before giving up a curse as I ran my hands through my hair in anger. I raised my head in a rage full of anger before rushing on the objects occupying the nearest shelf. I let out a cry of anger as I hit the objects of the dresser before falling to the ground in a ball of angry sobs.


	37. Chapter 37 : Mad for you

**Chapter thirty-seven : Mad for you**

 _This forest again.  
_

 _I glanced nervously all around me at the sight of this forest both unknown and familiar to me. I honestly felt like screaming at that moment. I definitely didn't know what I was doing there or why I kept dreaming about this forest. Worse still, the idea of seeing this huge wolf had the gift of giving me the jitters. I had never been the kind to scare easily. The last few months could attest to that. On the other hand, I easily gave in to panic.  
_

 _Hence the reason I was literally on the verge of tearing my hair. I was trying to fight my hyperventilation as I scanned the woods again before stopping suddenly.  
_

 _The agreement of voices coupled with a hissing in the air froze me on the spot. I immediately tightened my arms around me as a kind of fog rose literally from the ground, covering almost all my body. I wrinkled my lips as I desperately sought to hear that voice again before focusing my attention on an opening through the trees.  
_

 _Strangely, the opening seemed the only point not covered by the fog. It was almost as if I was left with no choice but to follow that path. I unconsciously threw a cautious glance over my shoulder by mere habit now before fighting the snapping of my teeth as I slowly headed for the opening. I just leaned to the limit of the opening before letting the tips of my fingers brush a tree trunk as I passed through.  
_

 _And just like that, my whole entourage changed the scene. Goodbye the sinister and scary atmosphere and hello the hot and green landscape typical of spring. The formerly greyish and crumpled leaves of the trees had given way to a healthy green. The trunks hardened by the cold had been replaced by brown trunks and strong. I let my mind wander more to the sight and feel of the soothing atmosphere around me before suddenly let out a cry of ice-coldness like an arrow just missed my temple. I jumped at least three feet as I watched the arrow settle into the nearest trunk with a horrified look before suddenly turning my head to the agreement of voices in approaches.  
_

 _My instinct immediately shouted at me to hide as I searched around me in panic.  
_

 _Finally, I decided on the largest trunk likely to hide me before I start in a race towards it. I stuck to the tree, praying to the heavens that it was wide enough to cover me before closing my eyelids to the agreement of crumpled leaves under the weight of steps. The clanking of twigs soon accompanied the approach of my attackers letting me shake my fists beside me in panic. I could feel my heart pounding against my ribcage as well as increasing the pressure of my blood in my veins.  
_

 _I had never felt anything so real.  
_

 _I could easily feel their presence now as the footsteps stopped letting me look up at the clear blue sky. I swallowed as I turned my attention to the surrounding trees in search of a discreet exit._ _I could just as well run away. Although this may not have been the best solution since, they could easily shoot me again.  
_

 _I was trying to slowly pivot on my feet since I had no other choice before abruptly froze in the realization. I felt my eyes widen as I looked at my bare arms before slowly lowering my face to the rest of my body to realize that I was completely naked. I held my arms around me, trying to hide a minimum since I did not really have a lot of options on hand before returning a horrified look at my body covered with mud and leaves.  
_

 _How I did not realize that I was naked was beyond me.  
_

 _"Go out, get out, get out of whenever you are, half-blood!" Another male, and above all, absolutely scary voice warned me again. " Show yourself !"  
_

 _I shivered unconsciously under the chilling effect of my voice before transferring my eyes to the urgency around me. I could not stay planted here at the risk of becoming a living target.  
_

 _Regardless of my situation I had to run. And that was exactly what I was doing.  
_

 _"There! She runs away! "  
_

 _I rushed into a sprint, regularly casting panic glances at my pursuers. I barely avoided the branches and trees on my way as I could feel the pain invading my already visibly sore limbs. I definitely did not know what I had done before but it was as if I had broken all my bones before putting them back in place. All my joints were screaming me to stop and the cold slapping violently my naked body certainly did not help my situation. But I still tried to keep going. I could not get caught. No matter what happened, I could not.  
_

 _Finally, the sudden sight of a kind of familiar cottage interrupted me. My heart beat strangely even faster at the sight as I stopped abruptly in the middle of my run._

 _My mind was suddenly trapped between two fires._ _I frowned internally at my eyebrows as I glanced over my shoulder at the mocking voices, obviously enjoying the hunt before glancing back at the farm further. I found myself weighing the pros and cons. Which was the most dangerous. Deadlier for me._

 _Before suddenly change course._ _I turned my heels down to the river, how I knew there was a river up there, before going straight to the edge.  
_

 _"It's over, Milana!" Suddenly exclaimed a voice behind me making me turn immediately on my heels to face my assailants.  
_

 _I immediately hid my chest in the little dignity I had before swallowing in fear as four different men emerged from the forest. One of them, the one who appeared to be the chief, had long brown hair almost black and a beard that covered the lower major part of his face. He was currently shirtless just like the others showing up an imposing muscular chest covered with hair. He was the definitively definite virility with an animal side. The one to the right of the head, the dirty blonde with the icy blue eyes, was much smaller in size and musculature, but his look for the blood was enough to make him scary. The other two seemed to be connected for a reason that was still unknown. They seemed more reluctant in their approaches, almost as if they did not want to be there.  
_

 _"You will not be able to escape. You're mine." The big brown grumbled, letting me look at him with a feeling of pure disgust.  
_

 _However, what froze me even more was when the words suddenly left my lips without even noticing it. "Never, Roman. You hear me? I'd rather die than submit to you. To you!"  
_

 _I did not even know how I could name this man. Even less of what I had just mentioned. It was like I was there but it was someone else who was really in control.  
_

 _"As you wish!" Hissed the smallest blond, Baladur, as he took a step in my direction just to be stopped by Roman.  
_

 _I remained totally petrified as the tall brown suddenly grabbed Baladur by his neck to bring him closer to his face. "If you put even a finger on her, I tear your throat with my fangs!"_

 _Baladur widened his eyes in horror and fear before suddenly squinting like a dog, letting me realize their nature in horror._

 _Unfortunately, it seemed far from over as another group of men suddenly came out of the woods with expressions totally different from the others as they took in the scene before them. Especially the tall blond with the eyes of a crystalline blue breathtaking. It was him._

 _The man I never stopped seeing in my dreams. For the first time, I could see his face and man, he was of incomparable beauty. I had never seen a man with so much presence and emotions at one glance. It was transcendent.  
_

 _For a totally unknown reason, I felt even more naked in front of these men as I tried to cover myself more. Even worse, I was literally speechless at Elijah's easily recognizable sight. He had definitely longer hair and older accoutrement but I could recognize him anywhere  
I shook my head as my gaze traveled in horror between the first group of men and the second before feeling the tears come to my eyes as the blond man changed his expression into rage.  
_

 _He suddenly pulled his sword to his hip before pointing it to Roman. "What is this? You will perish from my blade."  
_

 _The last thing I saw and heard before I fell into the abyss of awakening was the blond man, Elijah, and the other dark-haired man heading straight for the other group under my horror scream.  
_  
I literally jumped into a sitting position as my hand flew to my lips to prevent me from actually screaming before suddenly searching the room to remind me of where I was. The sight of the colorful walls and the clothes thrown around everywhere had the gift of calming my erratic heart a little until my gaze fell on the brown sleeping peacefully beside me.

I swallowed hard trying to catch my breath as I watched Felix carefully in an attempt to anchor myself mentally and physically in the real world.

Think!

I was at Felix's place. The brown had offered to stay at his home after having recounted my argument with Stefan. Not to mention that he did not necessarily want to be alone after Tyler left. They were not close, far from it but he thought he had found some kind of support in Tyler and now he was gone. His brown hair pricked in all directions without his famous gel and a small trickle of drool adorned the corner of his mouth. He seemed to definitely enjoy his bed right now.

I finally released my eyes from the brown to my side before turning my attention to my hands squeezing the quilt as if my life depended on it. I frowned as I thought back to my horrible nightmares, or rather one of my memories if I thought Elijah was there. How that was even possible, I had no idea, but one thing I was sure of was that they were becoming more and more real. And especially scary.

I did not know what kind of life this Milana had lived but she definitely seemed to have serious problems if I believed this dream. And what should I say about Elijah's presence? Did that mean that one of the men was Klaus, the original. But it was impossible. Why would Elijah be with Klaus? More troubling still, why this blond man supposed to be Klaus seemed stupidly ready to challenge a group of wolves.

Because everything led me to believe that they were werewolves. And what was this half-breed story? So many questions without answers.

I let myself fall heavily against the mattress Felix as I tried to make an assumption of my dream. I definitely did not understand what all that meant. I sincerely thought that dreams would stop.

And how could I even dream of all that?

I thought I was coming to terms with what I was but it was a lie. Most people around me did not even know the truth. And I did not even mention that I was focusing more on Elena so I wouldn't have to think about it anymore. I knew absolutely nothing about my true nature. I only realized it now but it had to change. I could not continue like that when I was obviously in limbo. I raised my eyes on the ceiling with determination before nodding my head resolutely. I was going to find out who I really was.

* * *

After that, I tried to sleep again, to no avail. I had too many questions left unresolved to succumb once again to the tranquility of a restful sleep. It was only when Felix awoke that I decided to go into action.

Unfortunately it was not counting on the more than embarrassing intervention of Felix's parents. The latter had wanted to explain to the brown about his situation as well as his impromptu departure. As I said, it was a horrible morning.

That's why after spending probably one of the worst mornings in my top 10, I was currently at the Grill with two large volumes in front of me. I was actively taking notes while trying to stay totally unbiased about my discoveries.

A spiritual being is thus incarnated in matter, with a body as a support - as a "vehicle", according to some - for a longer or shorter duration, ranging from a few moments to several decades, with as many nuances as possible in the conduct and perception of this existence that there are embodied beings. Such is the visible, immediately perceptible reach of all human life.

During the time that this integration of a spiritual entity takes place in the "materialization", through thought and in its most concrete acts, the being makes choices, is invested and concretely accomplished in a thousand ways in the fields. as possible, assuming with more or less happiness and success what it has engendered.

Then, one day, comes the moment when this incarnation comes to an end, in a natural or accidental way. It becomes unavoidable that the physical body, given its biological constitution anchored in matter, must disappear, ending the global process that engenders and perpetuates all human life.  
At the same time as it marks the definitive interruption of the vital functions of a living organism, physical death puts an end to the spiritual incarnation associated with it.

"Hey, but it's little Gilbert." Interrupted me one of my constant plagues as he sat nonchalantly in the bench in front of me."What are you doing there instead of being in high school?"

"I already validated the subjects." I answered flatly without any ounce of interest as I turned my attention back to my reading.

I could still feel his bluish look on my form as he raised his eyebrows in curiosity. "You've already passed advanced classes?"

"Yes, Damon. I am good at studying, not enough to make it a drama." I sighed wearily and mildly annoyingly.

I had already been delayed in my research and I had no desire to stay with the vampire instead.

Unfortunately, he mowed down my book to glance over it with a critical eye before making a falsely impressed grimace. " What are you reading? Mhm, the art of reincarnation and the effect of mystical dreams. Interesting choice."

"Give it to me!" I begged impatiently with my outstretched hand before suddenly bending over to snatch it of his hands.

The vampire stepped back as he raised his hands in surrender before giving me a smirk as I reinstalled the book on the right page."Mhm, your argument with our local vegetarian has put you on the edge to what I see."

"You have anything else to do?" I finally asked at the limit of my patience with him before resuming sarcastically as I gave him a look of judgment. "Like: oh, I don't know ... why not go on a fake date with your fake girlfriend under compulsion."

"Wow, who spill the beans?" He moaned exaggeratedly.

I looked up again from my book to give him an annoyed look. "Jenna. She spent a whole evening telling me how much she regretted having introduced you."

"Too bad. Because now I'm going out with Andie Star's Star Action News." Replied the vampire with vanity making me give him a flat look.

I shook my head at his incorrigible personality before raising my eyes to Felix as he approached our table with my order. "And a plate of cheese fries. Be careful my dear, the cheese is at least 500g more."

"Thank you, Felix. You can leave, Felix." I grumbled under my breath, tearing off the plate of his hands before resuming my reading under the amused eyes of a certain blood-sucker.

The latter hastened to bend over to peck my plate before waving his eyebrows with mischief at the sight of my exasperated look. "I have to admit; the kid got the hard knocks."

I stopped immediately in my notes as I dryly put my pencil on the table before shooting the vampire with a look of warning. "Touch to one of his hair and-"

"Yeah, yeah, I already know the rest." He interrupted me nonchalantly before taking another fries to chew it roughly in front of me with sarcasm."You don't have to worry, I'm one of the good guys now."

I raised an eyebrow at the brown in skepticism before leaning back against the backrest, crossing my arms over my chest. "Since when did you become a good guy?"

"Rude." He commented, pointing to me before crossing his arms over the table as he shrugged his shoulders rolling his eyes through his explanation. "Your sister is waiting for me to do the right thing. You know, how to preach the good word and why not."

"Of course." I agreed, shaking my head with a slight bitterness before turning my attention to my notes. "It's all about Elena. "

Damon made a sound commitment to my statement before tearing my pencil away from my hands forcing me to rest my angry eyes on him. "Oh, don't give me that look, you risk capsizing my dead heart."

"Charming." I said, gauging him disdainfully.

"I still am." The vampire retorted arrogantly before giving me a curious new look. "Anyway, when did you intend to talk to me about your little suicidal plan?"

This time I rolled my eyes as I picked up my things in haste before jumping on my feet as I gave him an apathetic look. "You pay for the French fries. "

With that, I left the table openly ignoring his annoyed calls as he paid for the fries before hastening to follow me through the entire Grill to the exit.

"Not so fast, little brat." He insisted as he grabbed the hood of my sweatshirt to pull me to his side, leaving my eyes wide in surprise before narrowing my eyes at him in boredom. "Can we know where you are going now?"

"In the moment?" I retorted impatiently before trying to put some distance between us again."Far from you. "

Obviously it was not counting on his horrible boring character trait as he hastened to throw his arm on my shoulders to hug me. "You're hurting me, Mila. And I thought we had something special. "

I tried to ignore my accelerating heart rate at his touch before squinting my lips as I tried to push myself in vain. He only tightened his arm around me, probably leaving some blue for the days to come.

"Damon. "

"It's me." He replied with a broad mischievous smile before displaying a false pouty expression. "Oh, come on, Mila, I need a distraction. Otherwise I will attack Elijah again."

I widened my eyes in a hurry before giving him a look sarcastically. "Please do it! That way I'll be rid of you."

I took advantage of his frown flat to my jab to give him a slight nudge before enjoying it to free me. I made my way outside just to take a sudden break at the sight of the pouring rain.

I held a groan as I pulled my hood over my head before grimacing at the agreement of the mocking voice of the vampire. "Damn, it's raining cats outside. It's better to have a car. Oh wait, you came with Felix, right?"

"I hate you." I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him in irritation.

In response, the latter simply posted a large smile victorious with his key ring around his index before telling me to wait here as he rushed through the rain to rejoin his car. I held my arms around my books against my chest as he turned on the headlights before maneuvering into the barely packed car park since most of the regulars were in high school.

Finally he parked in front of me, I giving a last look at the dark gray sky before launching into the rain to join the passenger side. I slammed the door after my entry before putting my stuff at my feet to be able to buckle me properly. I could feel Damon's watchful eye on my profile all this time.

Hence the reason I gave him a suspicious look once I was buckle up. "What?"

"Do you want to talk about Saint Stefan?" He asked with an arched eyebrow making my lips crinkle as I remembered.

I turned my eyes to the windshield barely visible in the rain before adjusting me more comfortably against the leather in the droppings."You and I know that talking about Stefan is almost a torture for you."

"I could make an effort. I'm adaptable." He reminded me suggestively and I giving him an annoyed look.

Only Damon could make salacious hints in a serious conversation.

Deciding to play on his field, I put all my attention on him. "You are aware that technically neither Elena nor I have reached our majority, right? So, it's judged like pedophilia. You and Stefan are no better than those old perverts chasing these kids on the web. "

"Oh, that's my! Ew!" He moaned with a disgusted look before focusing his attention on the steering wheel again to leave the parking lot in boredom. "Way to break the mood. "

Nevertheless, a smile appeared on my lips as I looked back at the roads completely unconscious of the vampire's own smile at my side in my direction. We had been driving for a long time now. None of us had emitted a sound taking advantage of the radio instead. Although I enjoyed the relaxing ride, it was strangely out of the unpredictable and easily bored character of the vampire. I gave him a side glance that I was hoping discreetly just to realize that he too seemed in his thoughts. He stared intently at the windshield before his left arm rested nonchalantly against the edge of the door.

No matter what he thought, he seemed relaxed.

A fairly regular act in the vampire but after attending his many tantrums, I already knew that there was much more in him.

Realizing that this trip had as much a calming effect on me as on him, I decided to tackle a thorny subject. "Are we going to talk about it?"

"What?" The vampire asked at once with false innocence at the sight of my eyes. "Of your undying love for me?"

"Jessica Jones. "

A heavy silence fell on our duet as he squeezed his hand around the leather steering wheel betraying his involvement. "Jessica how already?"

"Don't deny it, Damon." I retorted as a warning sign. "She was killed exactly like those campers at the beginning of the year. In the same way as this couple returning from a concert. Or these addicts near the crypt."

Damon sustained for a long moment my gaze visibly in his own thoughts before letting a long, aggravated sigh as he turned his eyes to the road. "Fine, you discovered my secret, Veronica Mars. I am guilty of your honor."

"This isn't a joke!" I put in frustration before shaking my fist against my thighs. "Why did you even do that? I was in town that day. If you felt like going on a spree of killing, you had to come see me. "

Damon raised his eyebrows in surprise at that as he glanced at me. "Wait, you're pissed off at me because I didn't come to see you, not because I killed that girl. "

"I should be mad at you. God only knows how much I want to be mad at you for killing someone." I admitted frustrated as I focused my attention on the windshield. "I feel horrible for becoming accustomed to reading cases of serial killings in the newspaper. But turns out that with our current way of life, it has become part of who I am. I'm a horrible person who lies, cheats and even shoots arrows at moving targets now. Hence the reason I can't be mad at you, Damon. Yes, I'm disgusted with the fact that you're killed this poor girl but I have no right to look down on you. We all have a dark part in us."

"Pretty sure that your dark side is barely measurable to mine." The vampire snapped.

I could not help but nod to that as I brought my knees closer to my chest. I put my cheek on the top of my knees before wrinkling my lips in thought. I had to admit that I had been outrageously surprised when I had instantly guessed who was behind the murder of this girl but it was nothing compared to the thinking following this thought.

The last few weeks may have changed after all. Or rather the last months.

That and those dreams.

Milana was a mysterious and secretive woman for me right now, but after last night's dream, I could already tell she was a multi-faceted character. If someone had asked me at the beginning of the year how I would have reacted to Damon killing someone, I would probably have been angry at him but not anymore. I just could not help feeling sad for him and curious at the same time.

"Nevertheless, I'm not angry with you, Damon." I repeat with certainty as I further explain my reasoning behind my thoughts."I'm not angry because I know you didn't kill this girl just for the sake of it. You left her openly to everyone's sight. And you didn't ask for this killing with Stefan or Elena, which means that a tiny part of you was probably ashamed. Just like most of your acts done under the influence of anger. You act on your emotions in the only way you know: _violence_. You pretend to be cold, detached and you hide your feelings under sarcasm and jokes. But the truth is that like all of us, you feel the need to act on your feelings when you're hurt or in pain. This is a fairly common case among children in the system or those who are abused. "

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon suddenly found the need to park as quickly as possible. The brunette's revelation at his side was far too precise and deep to make sure he could continue driving without causing an accident. It was not normal. Again, he was confronted with the intelligence and common sense of the little brunette. She was way too wise beyond her age if she could read him as well. Moreover, she had pointed out a certain point of which he had long forgotten.

It was in such a moment that his feelings were clear and someone can read him. Mila understood him better than anyone. Much better than his own brother with whom he had grown up and who had witnessed their father's excesses.

Better still, she understood him better than Elena. In fact, it was not even comparable. She saw him for what he was.

He stopped on the side of the country road they were on before cutting the engine as he leaned against the back of the leather seat. He took a moment to observe the dark landscape corresponding to his usual mood. The rain had long since ceased, but there were still remains of the storm.

"You seem to know your subject." Damon commented with slight bitterness before giving her a careful look.

The brunette shrugged her shoulders without deigning to look at him, leaving Damon to change in his seat as he leaned back on the door to intentionally put all his attention on the young Gilbert. Young? He could not really call her so when she was as insightful and damaging beyond repair. Because he knew. Damon knew that Mila relied on her own emotions to read him most of the time. That's why he'd been unable to ignore her since the first day he'd laid eyes on her.

"You still feel this pain? This hollow in your chest?"He asked in an attempt to move the subject away from him.

"I'm fine." Was the brunette's automatic response as she persisted in avoiding him. "I started talking again, didn't I?"

"And me who thought we were sharing our terrible life story." Damon commented sarcastically. "And you don't deceive people. I know you regret having spoken sometimes."

 _ **Mila POV**_

Damon was absolutely right.

I could not deny this darkness pulling and clawing inside me waiting to go out again. I had somehow managed to contain it but it was still there. That was why I had to take the opportunity to leave this city as soon as possible. I knew that the more days went by and the more my farm hand on that darkness faded. I was not as strong as I pretended. I was actually almost as disturbed as Damon. Except that I don't kill people to evacuate. No, sometimes I just wanted to go back to that amorphous state that frightened my family so much. I wanted so much to be able to return to this moment where I could simply wake up without having to share, to socialize.  
It was always hard for me.

"It's always there." I finally admitted, shrugging my shoulders before drawing unknown pattern in the crook of my wrist to keep me in control."I can feel it envelop me as a blanket. It threatens to take control again. I know that I will have to try to make the best of the situation but it's impossible. I could not fully leave that shadow behind if I stay in this city. That's why I filled this application for this internship this summer. Even with the risk of Klaus. I need to be able to hope that one day I will leave this city. It's not a basic need to travel, it's almost a vital need for me if I want to remain sane."

I ended on a darker note as I confessed my biggest secret before finally putting my eyes on the vampire listening. I let my eyes drag a moment on his face frozen in his twenties before biting the inside of my cheek in uncertainty.

Once again, I did not know why I gave in to my urge to share my thoughts with Damon. He was probably the only person who managed to exasperate me as much as to make me want to trust him.

Unfortunately, that would be too dangerous. Damon is and will remain too impulsive to be able to give him all my confidence.

"Stefan and Elena, they can't understand why I want to leave so much. Why I couldn't tell them. They say that I changed. I feel like I've changed but I'm not sure I see it as bad as they are. Is it bad to want to look for me first? I don't want to be selfish but what happens when we're too easily softened, too easily at the mercy of others. I don't want to feel that darkness anymore."

"I understand your point of view. Believe me, I understand better than anyone little Gilbert. For what it's worth, I prefer what you are now. The first time I saw you, you looked too dark for my taste. A little brat like you must have been pretty and cheerful." Damon raised his eyebrows maliciously before resuming his serious expression. "Now about this internship, why was not I informed earlier?"

"I forgot?"

"Oh, how you forgot to tell me that Elena had accepted the deal with Elijah despite the fact that he always plans to sacrifice her?" The vampire replied, letting me give him a disdainful look as he looked away."Don't tell me that you trust this original vampire? I remind you that he has done more killing in front of your eyes than me. You'd be stupid to believe in him. He doesn't care what he's afraid of happening to you as long as he gets to kill Klaus. Oh, and talking about Klaus, don't you think it's strange that he wants to kill the guy so much?"

I dropped my legs in a crossed position before crossing my arms over my chest in annoyance. Not only had the conversation turned to Elena again like most of the time, but he had also brought the original vampire into the mix.

Now I had never been jealous of my sister but I had to admit that I was starting to really lose all esteem in the people around us. Couldn't they see that she was doing all this for them for once. She was not self-centered and it was nice to meet the sister I knew.

As for Elijah, I should not really trust him. I knew it but this liaison. This presentiment attracting me to him was much stronger than anything. I knew, no, I was convinced he had a lot to expect from me. About who I was. And in the process of doing that, I could not afford to doubt his word. After all, he was currently the only source of information about me.

But to get back to Elena, I just did not want to think about her plausible death. Because thinking about it meant giving too much importance. I preferred to live her next weeks in denial. Because I already knew that it was only a matter of time before I let the darkness consume me the moment, I fully realized the action of my sister.

"Can we avoid talking about my sister?" I begged, looking away again.

"The denial only lasts for a while, Mila."

I widened my eyes in disbelief at his hypocrisy before turning abruptly to the side to face him."Look who's talking about denial. Do you really want on this land? Fine, why did you kill this girl?"

"You don't know what you're talking about." He growled, turning his gaze in turn.

"That's what I thought." I replied just as acerbically before turning my gaze on the transient window.

A heavy silence fell between us as we brooded on our own. Honestly, the scene was almost comical if the situation was not so bad.

However, the scene soon changed again as Damon let out a forced moan before supporting my gaze as I turned my head in his direction."It's you. You and ... and Elena. You know who I really am and you accept me as I am. On the other side, Elena wants me to be the good guy. Whoever helps Caroline and who doesn't kill Daddy Gilbert. But I don't want to change who I am. Hence the reason why I always end up coming to you. Because you don't want me to change. I already changed once for a girl and I finished pretty badly. But I'm also certain that it's by staying who I am that you will always impose this distance between us. Not to mention that I am terribly selfish, I'm in love with your sister and yet, I want you by my side."

"I'm not sure I understand. You love my sister. But she wants to change you like Katherine did all those years ago so you find yourself attracted by me because I accept you. Understandable. But it has never really been about that between us, right? Because you are in love with Elena. And I always put this distance because first, I wasn't necessarily ready to accept you as you are. Second, I was not ready to go out with anyone, not that I said I am now. And I'm confusing myself more ..."

I left a frown on my face as I looked at my hands in embarrassment before suddenly lifting my head at the agreement of the guttural laughter of Damon.

The latter had a broad smile on his red lips as he tilted his head to the side with attention."I think this conversation needs to stop. "

"I think so too." I sighed, widening my eyes before straightening up as Damon turned on the engine again.

Did Damon somehow tell me he loved me? It was a bit confusing and far too complex for my mind now.

I had not spoken so openly with anyone for a long time now and I definitely needed to step back and think.

"But just for you know, you're really cute when you're faced with an embarrassing situation. "

"Damon. "

"Just saying, little Gilbert. "

* * *

Unfortunately, after our little conversation, Damon had managed to put a ridiculous and tiny little seed in my mind. A seed so small and yet incessant. I just could not help but rethink Elijah. I knew that he was currently the only person who could handle the situation with Elena, but I was also anxious to have my sister's life in the hands of an original.

I didn't really know where I was now. And when I didn't really know where to go, I tended to do even more unpredictable things.

"Any reason you asked me to steal a bottle of bourbon from my job?" Asked Felix as he gave me a look through the window of my SUV before opening the door to go up. "Don't tell me that all this supernatural madness finally made you dive into alcohol."

"Funny." I breathed apathetically, still a little tired from my hectic night before I glanced through the windshield on the moon rising in the sky as I continued."And it's not for me. "

Unsurprisingly, Felix frowned quickly in a bad presentiment. "What are you planning now?"

I avoided his gaze as I focused on the familiar path leading into the woods. I could feel the impulsiveness, the confusion and the apprehension dripping of the brown at my side but I knew it was a bad time to pass. Or at least that's what I said to try to reassure me.

"Mila, you know I don't handle the silences well." Felix grumbled, standing at the handle above the door.

I nibbled inside my cheek before finally shutting down the engine as I saw our destination in the distance. I stood out giving a look at Felix before deciding to give him the choice.

"You'll give me the bottle of bourbon; the three glasses and I'll go down." I recounted in a firm tone of voice before arching an eyebrow expectantly. "Now, I didn't have to take you with me. You can either stay here and wait for me to come back or you can choose to completely trust me with your life and follow me."

"It's blind trust!" Replied the brown in disbelief as he leapt into the seat to turn to me in frustration. "You know what they're saying about blind trust. It takes you to your deathbed."

This time, I just rolled my eyes to his dramatic act before simply waiting with my hand open."I guess you stay here then."

"Hell no! I'm coming with you!" Objected immediately the brown tightening his grip on the bottle of bourbon before opening the door leaving me a little grin wedge on my lips despite me."Well? You're coming or what?"

I shook my head on the visibly frustrated brown before descending to my turn just to scan carefully the woods plunged into darkness. I could feel Felix standing next to me as he also paid close attention to us.

"You have to be completely suicidal to wander through the woods when you know what's roaming around Mystic Falls."

"Probably." I agreed in a dark tone before taking a breather as I walked.

Felix hastened to follow me without a word, letting me enjoy the soothing silence of the forest. Unfortunately, it soon revived the memory of my dream, allowing me to cross my arms around me to barricade myself. I could feel that slight feeling of apprehension running through my veins as I realized that the woods of my dream were the same as those surrounding me now. That explained this familiar feeling now. I was in the same woods. Only at a different time.

Finally, the old ruins were quick to come in sight, instantly stopping the brown standing beside me. "Mila, don't tell me that-"

"Yes." I interrupted in a firm, determined tone as I kept walking up the stairs to Katherine's crypt.

"It's definitive. You have completely lost your mind." Felix breathed under his breath.

However, the brown did not stop as I could hear the reverberation of his steps following me on the stairs.

Unsurprisingly, the vampire had already been alerted by our arrival as she stood now at the entrance of the tomb in devouring curiosity."What are you doing here?"

"Whoa, maybe you should review your ways of welcoming your guests." I replied with slight sarcasm receiving Katherine's wide smirk as I could feel Felix's incredulous eyes piercing holes in my back.

The latter shook his head to clear the surprise before tightening his hold on the bottle of alcohol as he gave a sharp look at the vampire. It immediately inflamed Katherine's facetious wit as she straightened herself with her hand on her hip before giving Felix an enticing look.

"Mhm, I knew the Lockwoods had good genes but I had never seen a wolf with so much guts."

"Save it! He's gay." I replied, rolling my eyes before reaching out to Felix to signal him to pass the bottle and the glasses. " I have something for you. Something tells me that alcohol will lessen the trouble of desiccating. "

"I knew you had a thing for me." Katherine commented arrogantly before suddenly shrinking her brown eyes at me as I was dangerously close to the limit of the opening of the grave.

Fortunately no one had closed the crypt after our little stunt with Elena otherwise it would question the entirety of my plan. I tried to stay as calm and impassive as possible as I passed the bottle inside the grave before preparing for the impact.

Unsurprisingly, I was suddenly drawn deeper into the grave before being hit hard against the rock.

Felix immediately dropped the remaining glasses in his hands the breakers in the process before rushing to the entrance. "Mila! "

Still, I raised my hand to stop him from advancing further before I hoisted on the tips of my feet to try to catch so little air.

Conversely, Katherine stood with her hand on my throat threateningly before getting me up a little more in the air. "Serious mistake, Mila. I can kill you now."

I tried as best I could to contain my preservation instincts as I clenched my fists by my side instead of trying to remove the vampire's hold before taking strangled breaths. I closed my eyelids as she tightened her grip a little more for the effect before opening my eyelids by swallowing with difficulty.

"Do you ... you don't go ... don't kill me." I croaked between each breath receiving an arched eyebrow of the vampire. "Release me, let me go, Katherine. "

The vampire kept me an extra moment at her mercy before suddenly letting me drop letting me fall heavily on the earthy floor like a vulgar rag doll.

I began to cough as I brought my hands to my painful neck to catch my breath before throwing a glare on the vampire in annoyance. "It was really necessary?"

"You're the one who entered the cave of the wolf." Katherine replied nonchalantly before picking up on the floor.

I helped me of the rock to straighten up with difficulty before giving a look at Felix as he let out a breath of total confusion. "Can I know what just happened?"

"I have a soft spot for Mila." Katherine simply answered before giving Felix a look in impatience. "Are you going to enter?"

"What?" He exclaimed in disbelief before giving me a look as he pointed at the vampire."She's kidding, right? "

I rolled my eyes as I rubbed my sore throat before giving a more panicky nod."She's not going to do anything to you, Felix."

"Just a little bite or two." Katherine teased with a feline smile letting me roll my eyes.

I turned my eyes to Felix as he narrowed his eyes at the vampire with disdain. "I don't know which one I hate the most. Your sister or that bitch."

"If it can help you make your choice, she never planned to use you in the sacrifice."

"And you're my favorite doppelganger." Felix announced in a slightly playful tone as he took an uncertain step into the grave.

Katherine looked amused at the brown before taking the tense glass, putting her sparkling brown eyes on me with the intention of scaring me. "You play with fire, Mila."

I gave a dark glance at the vampire knowing exactly what she was doing. Certainly, she could quite kill us in the moment and empty us of our blood. Or she could just bite Felix for making me suffer.

However, I had also discovered something about her during the last weeks. She was dark, vindictive, manipulative and pure evil but she was nothing compared to the biggest evil hovering over the whole city right now. Hence the reason I needed answers.

"You're not going to do anything." I confided confidently, receiving a vampire's defiant gaze as she let herself fall into a sitting position against the rock to find herself at my height.

I lowered my eyes to her fine hands as she opened the bottle of alcohol before aligning the three glasses on the floor to fill them with amber liquid. "Something must have happened to you deliberately come to me. Better still, you hardly seem shaken by my threats. Which means that you have finally realized that you can't escape Klaus."

"Wait, that's the reason for our coming?" Exclaimed Felix at once, as he gave me an angry look at the idea of my resignation. "You're going to give yourself to that freaking monster? "

"I offered her my blood." Katherine intervened mischievously, handing one of the glasses to Felix, whom he hastened to take by throwing a scathing glance at her. "Flying is always better than what Klaus has in store for you."

Felix supported Katherine's gaze with a confidence that surprised me as he swallowed his glass before slipping it back to Katherine for a refill. "It's a pretty loose design for a vampire as feared as you are."

I watched the duo interact with a nauseating feeling at the sight before I remembered that it was really the two people who could probably get along despite everything that separated them.

I shook my head as I bent over suddenly to take one of the glasses still filled before swallowing it in a captivating milking as soon as the vampire's attention in front of me. "Easy there, Mila. You have to come home alive."

I rested the glass with a tingle against the rock before giving a dark look at the vampire."Elijah is in town. "

"Hard to ignore." Katherine grumbled since Elijah was the exact reason she was still in the crypt.

Damon had explained to me that Elijah had compelled Katherine to stay trapped until Klaus arrived.

Unfortunately, this was enough to amplify my doubts about the original since he seemed to definitely share some kind of connection with the much feared original.

"He offered a deal to Elena." I explained as Katherine listened while taking care of filling our glasses again. "She stays in Mystic Falls, continues her life and Elijah will do the rest to kill Klaus."

Katherine stopped suddenly in her action before raising her dark eyes on me in disbelief. "He wants to kill Klaus?"

"That's what the guy told Mila."

Katherine gave a dubious look at Felix before taking a sip of her glass in thought."Interesting."

"Seriously?" Felix gasped impatiently at her lack of comment before turning to me, pointing at the vampire. " She's serious? That's all she finds to say? "

"Elijah is someone by word. It's just surprising to learn that he has changed sides over the years." Katherine said, giving a sarcastic look at Felix.

"I can trust him?"

Suddenly a smirk appeared on the vampire's lips as she shrugged down the contents of my drink. "Oh Mila, didn't you really learn anything from our alliance?"

"Other than you're an incorrigible bitch who will do anything to save her skin?" I replied coldly, my tone laced with bitterness. "Why do you think I'm here?"

Katherine shrugged her shoulders confidently before giving me an arrogant smile. "To enjoy my company. Everyone knows that Elena is so annoying while I am the funny sister."

"Wait, she thinks she's your sister?" Intervened Felix giving an incredulous look at the brunette. "Even more psychotic than I thought."

I rolled my eyes on the brown as he drank another shot of bourbon shaking his head before turning to Katherine who was gauging the brown with a secret smile. It may have been a simple impression, but I could almost believe Katherine was enjoying our presence. Including that of Felix.

Unfortunately, I had more pressing questions than worry about the vampire's well-being. It was ridiculous when you thought about it, but I could not really ignore the fact that I cared a little about the vampire.

"You knew he planned to save you in this ritual." I suddenly said instantly receiving a suggestive smile from the brunette. "And yes, another vampire falling under your charms."

"I told you guys were fun to handle." She replied, shaking my head.

"Why didn't you trust him?" I asked sincerely, receiving an incredulous look from Katherine." I'm serious. He offered to help you. Why did you run away?"

This time, the vampire narrowed her vicious eyes on me as she watched me more carefully. She leaned her head to the side in curiosity during her observation. "You already trust him."

"It's ... it's complicated." I confessed swallowing as I thought back to my strange connection to the original vampire.

I could feel Felix's attention to me as he discovered this part of me at the same time as the vampire. I still did not talk to anyone about my relationship with Elijah and I did not really think that Katherine would be the person I would talk about it to be honest. Nevertheless, I assumed she was currently the best choice since she knew the vampire.

"I conclude that dreams have begun." Katherine said, suddenly making me stiffen to her knowledge. "Don't be so surprised. Didn't I tell you that you were special since the very beginning?"

"Is that why you kept me alive?" I replied, acerbic.

However, our conversation was soon interrupted by Felix's frustrated intervention. "Can I know what's going on? What dreams? Mila, what's she talking about?"

"Your friend here dreams of an entity that lived long before her. Before myself." Katherine revealed, visibly reveling in Felix's surprise expression.

He glanced incredulously at me. "Tell me it's not true."

"I can't." I confessed in a slightly contrite whisper.

"Mhm, we must believe that friendships aren't what they were."

"You, shut up!" Barked Felix with venom on the vampire before turning completely to me."Did you hide something else from me?"

"It's only about me, Felix and-"

"So what? You have the right to want to help me, to worry about me but when it concerns you, I have to let you handle things alone?"

I found myself literally speechless under his heated gaze before turning to the vampire at her intervention. "It's because she understood that care, attachment and love are weaknesses. Even for a human."

"Don't tell me that you agree with this sociopath?" Asked Felix in indignation.

I immediately cast a puzzled look at the brunette as I did not really know what to say before leaving a sigh in defeat. I threw my head back against the rock as I looked up at the ceiling of the crypt in thought. I caught myself for a moment closing my eyes as if I were in the company of one of the most dangerous vampires in Mystic Falls before making the silence around me. I frowned through my closed eyelids before simply opening them to see Felix and Katherine sip their drink in tense silence.

Nevertheless, despite the tense and heavy situation, they seemed to share a kind of mutual understanding. It was strange to see since he was obviously angry but he could not really do anything against that. The brown was standing on my side with his eyes plunged into the void as Katherine took back her old family Bible to open it to one of the pages containing the drawing of her family members.

I watched the vampire's moment with a close look before leaving my thoughts in the open air."You feel lonely. "

"What did you just say?" The vampire asked in a dark tone as she narrowed her eyes to me.

I could feel Felix standing beside me as he glanced between Katherine and me in a bad feeling. "Mila."

I ignored Brown's warning as I kept my eyes on the vampire before letting my attention fall on the Bible to prove my point. The vampire's reaction was immediate as she closed the old book unceremoniously before straightening herself to give me her trusty, manipulative smile."You look for redeemable qualities? "

"Please, does she look like Elena for you?" Instinctively intervened, Felix giving me a surprised look before tilting my head with a grimace in agreement.

I looked back at the vampire to support her dancing eyes between the brown at my side and me before she shrugged."Just checking. I wouldn't want Mila to be disappointed. "

"Like you care." I sighed, rolling my eyes before giving him a suspicious look."Wait, why would I be disappointed?"

Katherine suddenly showed a smile worthy of Cheschire's cat before shrugging arrogantly."Who knows what could happen in the next few days?"

"What does it mean?" Exclaimed Felix at once, obviously sharing my discomfort as he gave me a side look in readiness. "Why do I feel like she's preparing a diabolical plan?"

"It's because she's prepared something." I muttered as I narrowed my eyes at the vampire as a sign of accusation. "You found a way out of here."

"Mhm, I didn't hear the question mark in that sentence." Katherine sneered with her falsely innocent look that made my jaw snap.

I gritted my teeth as I took a deep breath in the irritation. "How?"

"Always stay one step ahead of your enemy, Mila."

I shook my head on the vampire in front of me before suddenly lifting myself up from the wall. "Felix, we're leaving!"

"Thank God!" The dark-haired whispers as he gets up before being abruptly detained by Katherine making me instantly freeze in apprehension of her next move. "You bitch! What are you doing?"

"I remind Mila that she must not trust so easily." The vampire replied darkly before suddenly pulling Felix's head back through his hair before making me look wide at the sight of her vampire face.

I immediately rushed to the duo, raising my hands in agony. "No, Katherine, wait!"

The vampire stopped with her head in the hollow of the nape of Felix before raising her eyes on me with an amused spark in her eyes.

I could feel the trembling assaulting me as I let my eyes dance in the panic between Felix and the vampire before I turned my eyes back to the vampire."Release him! "

"Mila."

"It's okay, Felix." I assuredly said before turning my eyes to the vampire. "I understood, okay? I will not trust anymore. Just ... let him go."

The vampire gauged me for a moment before suddenly straightening up as she pushed Felix into my arms. I hurried to catch the brown as he stumbled under the force of the vampire before holding him in relief. I watched his face for a moment to make sure he was fine before glaring at the vampire.

"There was another way to make me understand that I shouldn't trust Elijah." I shrank in pure anger.

The vampire smiled badly as she twirled a lock of hair around her finger before leaning nonchalantly against the entrance to the tomb. " Perhaps. But it was much more fun."

"C'mon, Mila, we're leaving here!"Ordered Felix as he tried to get me out only I kept my position with my venomous eyes riveted on the vampire.

"Enjoy your solitude, Katherine."

* * *

 _ **Hey, guys!**_

 _ **I really wanted to thank you for the 100+ comments! It's really great guys.**_

 _ **I still hope to hear from you about this story !**_

 _ **After all your votes, I thought it was time to do a little recap polls !**_ _ **So for the moment, we are 45 votes for Stefan, 39 for Damon, 10 for Klaus and 1 vote for Kol.**_

 _ **Keep telling me what you think about this story as well as Mila's new adventures, please ^^**_


	38. Chapter 38 : Dancing with a stranger

**Chapter thirty-eight : Dancing with a stranger**

 _Give me a shot at the night  
Give me a moment, some kinda mysterious  
Give me a shot at the night  
Give me a moment, some kinda mysterious  
Give me a shot at the night_

 _Look at my reflection in the mirror  
Underneath the power of the light  
Give me a shot at the night  
Give me_…

The music blowing at full speed in my ears, I pushed more on my thighs to climb the small hill at a run. I had to admit that my afternoon with Damon had put a lot of things in perspective for me. Of course, I was still bored by my argument with Stefan but I decided to let that happen for now. After all, he was not in town right now. He and Elena were still in the cabin. Not to mention that I had much more pressing issues to wait. Like the fact that I had rather vivacious dreams of a kind of previous life. And that this former life seemed like that of a werewolf doubled with a witch, it would seem. I did not even know how it was possible, but I wanted answers.

Hence my intention to visit the Bennett later. I still remembered those famous training sessions with Bonnie and her grandmother. There was something odd about me and I was sincerely hoping to be able to pass my feelings aside with the witch for answers. Of course, I was planning to meet Elijah at some point but I was not really ready for that yet. Whenever I saw the original, strange and confusing new feelings arose in me. Not to mention that after the other dream of the other time, I did not even know how I could face him. And I did not even mention my meeting with Katherine. The bitch had made her point clear to instill doubt in me. Now I did not really know how to handle the situation without having to play the bluff card against Elijah.

Honestly, all that was the vampire's fault. Katherine had managed to play with my mind again. I did not really know how she did that, but every time I decided to give her an ounce of confidence, things ended badly for me. At the same time, part of me knew it was just who Katherine really was.

That's why I was currently in the process of venting all my frustrations and tumultuous thoughts in a morning run. Felix had indicated to me a rather complete course on the old ruins of his family. The Fells, I mean, and I had to admit that the place was pretty good to see.  
It was entertaining to say the least.

"Mila! Mila! Hey, here! "

I frowned at the agreement with one voice over my booming music before slowly slowing down my pace as I watched the area in mistrust and confusion. I finally pulled out one of my headphones as I took a pace at a pace before glancing over my shoulder at the agreement of Jenna's familiar voice.

"Mila!" Exclaimed the latter as she hastened to join me visibly out of breath despite the fact that she had just been five meters away."Hey, what are you doing here? It's a private property. "

I supported her disapproving look before taking my ankle in hand to stretch while giving a look at my aunt. "I have permission from Felix's parents. Do you remember Felix? He's Fell too."

"Right." Jenna winced in the realization before she gave me a sorry look. "I'm still going for the aunt too bossy, huh?"

I released my ankle to take the other one before putting my free hand on her shoulder to stabilize me. "You do your best. And I must admit that I have not really been trustworthy lately."

"Okay, you know what? Let's start on a good foundation." Jenna suddenly decided as she reached out her hand almost making me fall before giggling at my expression.

I gave her a non-amused look before simply giving in to a smile at the sight of her cheerful expression. After John's bomb being Elena's father, she had not really been as enthusiastic as usual.

It was nice to see her again as before.

Unfortunately my smile quickly fell into an expression of apprehension as Alaric's anxious voice called out to us. I was looking in the direction of the history teacher just to feel my breath get stuck in my throat in the sight of Elijah standing by his side.

"Mila? What are you doing here?"

I immediately put my eyes on Alaric at the agreement of his disapproving tone before giving a glance between him and Jenna as the latter hastened to defend me. "She's taking advantage of Felix's influence. He's a Fell."

"A Fell, really?" Elijah suddenly intervened with an undisguised interest instantly captivating my attention as he held my gaze with a warm smile. "Mila, always a pleasure to see you."

At that moment, I totally forgot the presence of Jenna and Alaric with us as I was suddenly lost in the depth of the vampire's brown orbs. He supported my gaze with such intensity. It was almost as if he was reviewing a part of his long-forgotten past. And the sense of passion and dedication he seemed to communicate was deafening. A younger, more anchored version of Elijah's time came to mind as I instinctively thought about that dream. If the blond man had been the one to utter threats and brandish a sword, Elijah did not seem without rest.

No matter who this Milana really was, she definitely had an impact on the three men present.

The last one had been somewhat erased by the awesome presence of Elijah and the blond but I could almost say that I had also seen a look of fear in his almost similar orbs of Elijah.

Unfortunately, the dream was too short for me to remember enough of him. It was only when a clumsy throaty echoed around us that I finally came out of my trance of thought. I recoiled in embarrassment before clearing my throat in turn as I quickly turned my eyes away from the vampire.

I winced internally at Jenna's mistrustful and confused look at the vampire and me before rubbing my neck as I was about to make a getaway. "I ... uh ... I'll go there. I didn't finish my footing so ... "

"Or you could accompany us." Elijah suddenly suggested stopping me in my tracks as I swallowed giving Jenna a wide look as he put his haunting eyes on my aunt. "I'm sure she can benefit from your extensive knowledge. "

"I ... well, that's not a bad idea." Announced Jenna giving me a playful look, letting me take a look at Alaric.

The latter seemed definitely against it as he frowned as he gave Elijah a warning look. "I doubt that she wants to spend her morning with us three talking about history. She already has enough of my classes."

"Let's see Alaric, we never know enough." Jenna answered in a mischievous tone before turning to me with a wide, irresistible smile. "So? Do you want to honor us with your presence, Oh dear niece?"

I wrinkled my lips visibly at a word loss as I leered at Elijah quietly before ignoring Alaric's negative gesture as I turned in hesitation towards Jenna. "Y-yeah, why not?"

* * *

Unfortunately, I definitely did not foresee the occult testosterone fight on the side of Alaric. It was almost impossible not to see how jealous he was as Jenna drove us onto the slave property before continuing our little history lesson at the Founders' Hall, the cemetery, the Wickery Bridge and Fell's Church.

All this time, I mostly stood back with an almost admiring expression as I drank strangely the sweet and experienced words of Elijah. The least we can say is that he knew his story. Or rather the history of our city. I was so admiring that I did not even notice Alaric's departure at a certain point. I was more focused on how Elijah behaved with Jenna.

Although I had known for a long time that vampires melt better than humans, Elijah was certainly the most introduced specimen I had ever met. Apart from his knowledge almost impossible to know without having lived a long time, he was all that was normal. He was very nice to Jenna and I could not help but feel a bit of that push towards him.

However, my mood soon waned considerably as our little story trip ended at Mystic Grill's.

I took a pregnant break at the sight of Damon alongside a blonde in front of Alaric before quickly scanning the restaurant in search of a loophole.

Unfortunately it was not counting on the keen senses of the original vampire as he soon put his mesmerizing eyes on me before waving me forward with his hand. "After you, Mila."

I swallowed in the realization as I avoided his eyes again taking a step alongside Jenna towards the table of two men.

At least it was until I felt Elijah's hand hovering over my lower back as in that position from the time. He barely touched me, but the simple feeling of abnormal warmth for his condition was enough to speed up my heartbeat. I anxiously nibbled the inside of my cheek as I tried to ignore his presence nearby before stiffening myself as I met Damon's threatening blue gaze. The latter must have heard my frantic heart. Just like Elijah now that I thought about it.

I took a deep breath in the realization before feeling my cheeks warm up despite me under the effect of embarrassment.

"Hey, guys." Jenna greeted the trio enthusiastically.

Damon smiled as well before putting his eyes on me with his jaw clenched. "So, I hear you guys had the meeting of historical minds today."

"Uh, yes, we can say that like that." Jenna replied as she readjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder, totally missing Damon's look at me.

Feeling clearly in the spotlight again, I threw a long nervous look over my shoulder barely discreetly looking for a familiar face. Anyone at this stage would do the trick to get me out of this hell.

Alaric suddenly lightened his throat in discomfort before putting money on the table to get up."As much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade. "

"We should definitely continue this." The blonde suddenly suggested to Damon's arm making me look at her with a new sense of annoyance. "Maybe around a good dinner. Less obviously teens. "

I narrowed my eyes to the blonde with a grimace before putting my eyes in disbelief at Damon as he leaned toward her with a honeyed look."Oh darling, what a good idea! I want to play the hosts. How about tonight?"

"I don't have works tonight..." Said Alaric giving a look at Damon.

He was serious at that moment? Not only that girl had really annoyed me with her little condescending comment but also it was completely stupid. She definitely did not know what she was getting into. Elijah and Damon in the same room. Yeah it was doomed to end badly.

Unfortunately, I did not really know what took me as I heard Jenna's affirmative response followed closely by Elijah's polite response.

"I want to come." I exclaimed suddenly, immediately reaping the incredulous looks of most of the people except Damon, who glared at me.

The latter forced an arrogant false smile before giving me a warning look."I'm sure you have better things to do. To party? Going on a date maybe?"

"Oh, Mila is anything but that kind of teenager." Jenna chuckled completely in the unconsciousness of the hovering tension between us.

"I think that's a great idea." Intervened Elijah again as the voice of wisdom before he gave me another of his bewitching looks. "We never have enough young spirit."

"Great!" Damon whispered with false, clear enthusiasm in his voice as he eyed the original vampire too close to me to his liking before hitting his hands together."Well, if you excuse me, I have a dinner to set up for."

* * *

"Did you know about Stefan?" It was the first thing Elena asked me when I answered her call."That he was a reaper?"

I winced knowingly as I put my phone on speaker before putting it on my dresser. "You seem to be having a remarkable time. "

"Mila." She whispered, already letting me imagine her flat expression. "Answer me."

Actually, it was a little while ago but I still remembered when Stefan told me about his meeting with Lexi. Shortly after his transformation. When he was currently at the bottom of his vampirism. At that moment, I did not want to see how dangerous he could be. It was only when I saw him at the Miss Mystic Falls Ball that I fully realized his nature. Stefan was hiding unlike Damon and although I enjoyed his protective side and nice little vampire act, I knew it was probably not the best way to proceed. One day or another, he will have to face this dark side that is part of him. I was only hoping he would be in better control this time.

"Mila, you're here? "

I combed my hair in a messy bun over my head before redirecting myself to my phone. " Yeah yeah. I'm here. "

"So? "

"He told me about it after Lexi's death." I explained with a slight sense of conflict to Stefan's thought. "Look, Elena, I don't think I'm the best person to talk about Stefan right now. "

There was a long silence on the other side of the line as I could hear the birds singing in the background before Elena's cracked voice sounded again in my room."I'm sorry, Mila. If it was not for me, you and Stefan ... "

"You don't have to do that." I interrupted, giving a look with my frowning eyebrows on my phone screen. "I chose to follow you in your mission martyr. That's my problem. "

"Mila ..." Elena sighed in guilt as I rolled my eyes as I searched through my stack of clothes for something clean. "If I had known how to stay with Stefan-"

Clearly not ready for this kind of conversation, I went straight to my phone to take it in hand."Oh, look I can't hear you anymore, Elena! It must be the distance. Elena, Elena?"

I finished my little number by hanging up before casually throwing my phone on the top of my bed.

However, it was before a slight feeling of sadness fell on my shoulders. I could never survive the death of my sister. It was impossible for me to be able to continue with my life if almost all my family was decimated. I already knew that if Elijah's plan did not work, I should give way to my darkest emotions.

I knew I would not recover. But the question did not arise for the moment. Elijah's plan was going to work. I could not put my trust back. I definitely could not do that.

Shaking my head at this thought, I grabbed a bright red sweater with skinny black jeans before heading to the bathroom to change me quickly.

After changing, I took a moment in front of the mirror to readjust my bun in a bun much more neat. I stared at it all with hairspray to make sure wicks would not fall in my eyes before returning to my room. I was checking that my ring was still circled around my index finger even though I rarely removed it before taking my leather jacket with a fur collar. I then took my car keys before putting on my jacket on the way out.

I totally ignored John coming out of the living room and slammed the door behind me as I headed for my SUV. I climbed behind the wheel before quickly heading for a familiar destination.

I was soon to arrive in front of the Bennett's letting me shut off the engine keeping my eyes on the two-story house. The last time I was there was during one of our lessons and things were getting worse between the witch and me after that. We were back on terms of civility but I already knew that nothing justified my coming today. And yet, I had to get answers.

I took a deep breath as I removed the ignition keys before opening the door to get off. I slid my hands into the pockets of my jacket as I glanced down the road before crossing over to the Bennett. I went up the alley in apprehension before taking the stairs of the porch to ring.  
I glanced nervously over my shoulder at the feeling of being like watching before abruptly turning to the agreement of opening the front door. "Mila? What are you doing here?"

"I need an answer."

"Some answers? About what?" Bonnie looked confused almost believable if I did not know my sister so well.

"About being a reincarnation." I stared blankly before rolling my eyes as I invaded myself inside as I turned to face her after she closed the door. "Don't be innocent. I know Elena has already told you. It's a surprise that she has not already shouted it on all roofs."

Still, Bonnie frowned slightly as she passed me to the kitchen."Even though I know, I don't see how I can help you, Mila."

"Your grandmother." I answered immediately, instantly calling the brunette's attention to the coffee skin. "You said she often talked to you about me. Do you remember? Maybe we can find information in these book spells?"

Bonnie narrowed her lips visibly in uncertainty, leaving me almost bouncing around in anticipation. I could not really fail here. Bonnie was currently my plan A and I was not very excited about going to plan B. Although I doubt that few people liked to go to plan B to be honest.

"Mila, I'm not sure ..."

"Remember that when you needed my help?" I recalled with a slight arching defiant eyebrow.

The brunette almost immediately gave me the same expression definitely more the same as before. She was no longer little Bonnie from high school, she was now a witch. Suspicious and vindictive.

"Even if I helped, what do you hope to find?" The brunette asked, crossing her arms over her chest with a watchful look in my direction.

I entered her living room, absently shrugging my shoulders before giving a look at the witch over my shoulder. "I had very strange dreams lately. Starting there seems an interesting track."

"Dreams?" Bonnie repeated looking definitely more attentive now. "What kind of dreams?"

"The kind that you wake up sweaty in the middle of the night."

This time the witch gave me a dubious look as she settled on the couch with a knowing look."Is not that normal with the world we live in?"

"I doubt that seeing Elijah in the body of a person I'm sure of has been dead for thousands of years is part of that kind of normality."

Bonnie was obviously speechless as I sat down on the couch before giving her a look in expectancy. "So? What do you think about it?"

"I'm going to get my grimoires."

* * *

This damned story of reincarnation was even more secretive than the very story of the originals. So much so that I began to doubt its real existence. I had just literally skimmed all of Bonnie's grimoires and there was still nothing. Absolutely nothing. Not a single word.

I finally let out a heavy sigh by throwing the spell book currently in my possession on the table with force. I ignored the startled surprise of the witch lying in front of me as I lowered myself slightly by pressing my elbows against my thighs.

I let out a sigh while taking my head in my hands in frustration. "Damn it! Nothing! Hours of research and we found absolutely nothing!"

A heavy silence fell on us in tension before the sensation of Bonnie's brown hazel eyes piercing my profile became too much. I combed my hair out of my face to take a look at the witch just to shake my head at the sight of her worried grimace.

"Are you okay? "

"Peachy." I gasped, straightening up before shaking my shoulders at the sensation of pain between my shoulder blades."Sorry. I'm tired…"

"Yeah, we all are." Bonnie agreed with a nod, then climbed to her feet with the help of the coffee table.

I followed curiously the witch's ascent before raising an eyebrow at the sight of her suspicious behavior.

"So ... have you ... talked to your brother lately? "

I pressed my chin in my palm giving a confused look at the brunette. "Jer? I didn't necessarily have time between a kidnapping or two, protect a wolf in the making and you know, a lot of other stuff."

"Okay, okay, I understand. No need for excessive use of sarcasm." A slight smile appeared on her brown lips as she rolled her eyes slightly.

However, I was not slow in narrowing my eyes on her in questioning. "Why are these questions on my double-me?"

"You double yours?" Bonnie repeated with a forced smile, further arousing my curiosity.

"You avoid the subject. "

The brunette almost immediately lost her smile making me sit up to staring at her with more attention as she seemed to put a point on avoiding my gaze.

"Bonnie. "

"I-it's not really what you think, okay?" The brunette immediately jumped into guilt making me arch an eyebrow in confusion as she moved herself. "Okay, it's exactly what you think. But it's just happened like that. Your brother and I ... well, there are no us but ..."

I jumped to my feet, raising my hands to the witch just to frown at the sight of her step back."Whoa, I'm not going to hit you. Take it easy."

Bonnie immediately resumed her position, raising her head proudly before squinting her lips in negation. "I wasn't scared. Not at all."

"Good. Because for what it's worth, I have absolutely no right to judge my brother's relationship." I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest as the witch gauged me in surprise and disbelief. "Plus, I guess you're better than his previous girlfriends."

I finished tilting my head in acceptance before raising my eyebrows on the brunette as she instantly shook her head in denial. "Oh, oh, we're not ... we just kissed."

"Whoa, too much detail here." I intervened, raising my hands again to her before composing my expression seriously. "On the other hand, a little advice, you'd better talk to my sister as soon as possible. Not for her blessing or anything, but for her not to intervene precisely."

"Yeah, I don't know. I think it's going to hurt her a lot."

I let a slight humming disagree before raising my eyebrows with mischief." We never know. She's rather on an altruistic phase right now."

"Seriously?"

This time I just shrugged my shoulders with a smirk before grabbing my jacket off the back of the couch. "Anyway, I still have to get into a dinner so."

"It was nice to spend time with you again, Mila." Suddenly admitted the brunette stopping me in my process of putting on my jacket.

I shrugged my shoulders to finish putting it on before supporting her sincere look with a small smile. "Yeah, it was."

I was heading to the boarding house immediately since I had spent too much time at Bonnie's house.

Honestly, I did not really know what to expect during this dinner but I already knew it might be interesting. Now if it were positive or negative, personally I would look more for the second knowing the host. Damon had something planned in his sleeve and I certainly could not let him do as he pleased. This time, I was genuinely risking anger if he ruined all chances of saving Elena from the ritual. Not to mention that a small selfish part of me still needed Elijah. Much more now than before. Since Bonnie's grimoires seemed of no use in my case, Elijah was my one and only answer resource. It was out of the question that I lost that ounce of knowledge.

Finally, the huge Salvatore house stood up through my windshield letting me slow down to a full stop before leaning against the back of my seat for a moment. I watched the stone facade illuminate by the lights in the dark night before sighing heavily in apprehension.

I can do it. No matter what Damon planned to do, I could stop him.

I unfastened my belt with these thoughts in mind before finally getting out of the vehicle to head for the entrance. I allowed myself to enter without even knocking since Jenna had sent me a message on the way to ask me where I was.

It seems that all the guests have already arrived which meant that I was the last.

I headed easily to the path of the lounge where I already knew that the dinner would take place. The oak table was the largest in this part of the house. As expected, I was not slow to hear a series of voices letting me in the opening just to show a nervous little smile as all the attention was focused on me.

"Mila, where were you? I sent you lots of texts." Jenna asked with a slight look of reprimand before hastening to get up to escort me to the seat still available."Here, it looks like you're lucky enough to sit next to the guest of honor tonight."

"Yeah, luck." I heard Damon murmur as I settled down by removing my jacket before laying it on the back while giving a suspicious look at the said vampire."I almost thought you couldn't come."

I gave him a sarcastic smile in response. "And miss this dinner? Never."

An annoyed throat screamed at me, causing me to look at my left just to widen my eyes at the sight of my uncle sitting at the end of the table.

"John?"

"Mila." He recognized with a tense smile before giving a look at the whole table and especially the original vampire at my side. "This dinner is not a little too serious for you? "

As before, Elijah surprised me again as he leaned forward to boldly support my uncle's gaze."Mila seems like a young girl full of maturity. It's ... refreshing to see such bright young minds. "

"Ooh, gently there, she could actually believe you." Damon intervened quickly with his legendary arrogance as he gave me an annoyed new look. "These kids these days, so arrogant."

I pinched my lips to restrain myself from answering him before straightening up again surprised as Elijah made a point of serving me."Thank you, Mr. Smith."

"Oh, call me Elijah."

"Thank you, Elijah." I smiled in spite of myself before grabbing my cutlery just to lose my smile once more at the sight of us.

I immediately cleared my throat playing absent-mindedly with the contents of my dish before biting an eggplant cooked with my fork. It seems like it was a kind of typical Italian dish. A recipe from Damon, moreover. I certainly would have commented on it if the vampire was not so fucking irritating right now.

The conversation finally went on.

Evidently Damon's new girlfriend had the gift of exasperating me a little more each time she opened her mouth and my attraction to Elijah only seemed to increase, but on the whole, it was bearable.

The subject was mainly focused on the story of Mystic Falls so I knew the subject pretty well but I was not interested enough to want to participate. I had other more important topics to think about at that moment.

A fact that some original vampire also seemed to know how I suddenly froze at the sensation of the vampire leaning discreetly towards me. "You don't seem to be very anchored in the conversation. "

"I have never been very fond of this kind of gathering to begin with." I confide in my turn in a whisper ignoring the glances in our direction.

Elijah gave me a careful side glance before raising an eyebrow in pure curiosity. " Why that?"

"I'm not sure it's appropriate to speak that way." I replied with a slight hint of mischievousness, like a little smirk standing on my lips in spite of myself. "After all, you miss the conversation."

"I'm sure I'll recover."

He bowed his upper lip in a smile making me realize for the first time how his lips looked so pink and full.

I almost choked on my own saliva at this thought before quickly looking away as I answered in a more distant tone. "But I doubt that others will agree. "

Fortunately, Jenna chooses exactly this moment to intervene slightly under the effect of the wine. "I hate to break it to you, Damon, but according to Elijah, your family is not a founder of this town."

"Really? Do tell." He asked, taking a sip from his glass.

"Well, I mentioned Jenna earlier today, a faction of settlers migrated from Salem after the witch trials in the 1690s. And for a century, they developed a community in which they were safe from persecution." Elijah explained with wisdom and intelligence.

"Because they were witches." Jenna intervened in an exaggerated tone.

I immediately gave a look in reflection of Elijah. "Witches, huh?"

"It's ridiculous. There has never been any hard evidence of the existence of witches in Salem." Andie interjected making me bite a piece of meat.

Damon gave me a look at my action before bragging about the reporter at the vampire."Andie is a journalist. Priority to the facts."

"Just as there is no proof of the existence of God or even ... of vampires. That doesn't mean they don't exist." I surprised myself alone to intervene with slight animosity towards the journalist before quickly cover my explosion. "Simple remark."

Elijah hastened to dispel the tension by twirling the alcohol in his glass before resuming his story. "Lore says that there was this wave of anti-witch hysteria. It broke out in the neighboring settlement, so these witches were rounded up. They were tied to stadiums in a field and burned. Some say you could hear the screams from miles around. They were consumed by the fire."

This city was simply a damn beacon for the supernatural. All the creatures seemed to go there one way or another. This only reinforced my desire to leave this place as soon as possible. Maybe after solving this problem Klaus maybe.

"I wouldn't repeat that to historical society." Hummed falsely Jenna behind her glass receiving a smile from Elijah.

John nodded as a sign of acceptance. "Yeah, it's starting to sound like a ghost story to me."

The mere sight of Elijah's smile was enough to raise the blood slightly to my cheeks as I could feel my heart suddenly jump a beat. A fact that the vampires in the room seemed fully conscious as they turned to me forcing me to cough in embarrassment.

"You're alright, Mil?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just ... uh ... I'm going to fill the carafe with water."

I got up with the intention of making a quick getaway unfortunately Andie literally stole the jug from my hands. " I will do it."

I sat in helplessness before leaning against the folder in frustration. What was happening to me seriously? Why did I react to an age of at least ten years my oldest in terms of physics. And I did not even talk about a year of life?

Damon finally resumed the course of the conversation with a falsely nonchalant air. "But why would you want to know the site of these horrendous massacres?"

"I would say that it's my curiosity as a historian that expresses itself."

This time, I gave a slightly suspicious look at the vampire. I didn't know how I only knew it with a look but he was lying. He wanted something from this place. It was obviously for me. And maybe for Damon, too, because of his distrustful look.

Unfortunately the question did not arise as Damon rose abruptly, scratching the feet of his chair against the floor. "Would anyone care for some cognac? I have a bottle that I've been saving for ages."

"Why don't you guys take your drinks in the study?" Andie suddenly suggested that I immediately suspect some not-so-well.

I got up in my turn giving a warning look at Damon as he turned to me with a broad smile telling me nothing good.

Unfortunately Jenna hastened to recruit me to help rid the table leaving me watching the duo in apprehension.

"I have to say the food is almost as wonderful as the company." Elijah declared, getting rid of his towel.

"I like you." Andie commented, pointing to the original, making my jaw clench as quickly as I crushed the cutlery with a little more force than necessary.

I skirted the original still present in the room before pushing Andie despite me in my passage resulting in her glass flipping slightly on her black cocktail dress. "Oops, sorry. "

I hastened to leave the room under the amused look of a certain original. It was only when I was in the kitchen sheltered from the looks that I released the breath I had held since my departure.

At least it was until John went in turn to drop the dishes right next to mine. "Well, it was an interesting dinner. Do you want to tell me what's going on with Elijah? "

"And if you mind your damns business, John." I replied, looking over my shoulder before giving him an angry look. "Why are you here anyway? I thought you were on a redemption mission with Elena?"

John folded his arms on his chest pretentiously before nodding. "I am. That's exactly why I'm here. Now you're still my niece so don't go too far with me."

"It's a threat? "

John rolled his eyes openly before giving me another intrigued look. "I just want to protect you. You're the little girl of my deceased brother. You and I know that you have nothing to do in this awful world."

I was about to answer only the burst of Alaric stopped me in my tracks "Mila! Follow me, it's urgent!"

I did not really have the choice as the professor pulled me by the wrist before accelerating the pace under the confused eyes of Jenna and Andie.

I forced a slight smile on my lips to save appearances before quickly turning to Alaric as soon as we were out of sight. "Ric, what's going on? "

"It's complicated. You just have to bring Damon and Elijah over."

I did not really have time to ask for more as Alaric burst into the library with me following him. I knew that Damon was going to cause trouble tonight. It just was not in his nature to accept things as they were.

"Gentleman, we forgot about the lovely dessert the women have made for us." Interrupted Alaric.

I forced a warm smile, extending my hand to Damon before turning on my heels at the last moment to the other vampire. "Elijah."

The original gave his drink with a slight eagerness to Damon, who finished it, before taking my hand. I let a slight chuckle in spite of me as Elijah had me spinning on my way out of the study.

To my surprise, Elijah caught up with my hand before stealing his arm with mine to walk down the hall. My first instinct was to move away but the vampire put his hand over mine, covering it completely.

"Elijah?" I asked pitifully in a slightly trembling voice with my eyes fixed on his hand definitely bigger than mine.

"I must admit, I've been waiting for a long time to talk to you, Mila." He declared with elegance and personified sophistication before stopping me forcing me forward to face him.

I gently removed my hand as he allowed me before swallowing under the intensity of his orbs a sparkling brown.

He was literally breathtaking. His features were both familiar and unique to me. His strong and powerful square jaw, his straight nose and his wide mesmerizing eyes. He had dark, lined eyebrows and long lashes almost as black as ink.

However, an older and certainly more human image of the vampire suddenly flashed before my eyes.

That was enough to get me out of my stupor as I turned my attention to the vampire with a new curiosity. "We already met before. "

If he had noticed my moment of reverie, he said nothing about it as he contented himself with gauging me with that kind smile.

"To be clearer, we never met. On the other hand, I knew one of your ancestors well." The vampire revealed, throwing me out of my game at the ease with which he unveiled this information

However, I hastened to frown in confusion as I fully took in his revelation."My ancestor? I thought ... I mean, Katherine said I was a reincarnation."

"Katherine, um?" He repeated with obvious disdain in his tone before displaying a slightly pensive look as he put one of his hands in his finely cut trousers."Obviously, I can't let her false allegations continue. Would you agree to meet me later? I doubt that the place is suitable for this kind of conversation."

An almost excited smile crossed my face as I hurriedly shook my head in acceptance."Absolutely. I had already planned to go to the Lockwoods. "

"I have no doubt about it." Elijah agreed with a fond smile, letting me look at him with a slight hint of redness along my cheeks.

At least, that was before the vampire deliberately stepped forward with his outstretched hand. I froze with my alert eyes riveted on his powerful hand with a slight reminder of what it could actually do before looking up at the vampire. The sensation of his strangely warm hand against my cheek cut all the good sense in my mind as I let myself be captivated by my inner feelings. I could not really control my reactions anymore. I closed my eyelids at the sensation of his thumb tracing my cheekbone before releasing a weak sigh of contentment.

It was abnormal. Terribly and indefinitely abnormal but it felt so good and true at the same time. And as if that was not enough, my body reacted by itself as I raised my hand around his wrist. It was like I was in a kind of mist in which I could not go out. The feeling of reassurance and well-being that I felt at his touch erased all the pain and darkness in me. This realization made me gasp in surprise before suddenly open my eyelids. I met the calm and strangely peaceful gaze of the vampire before suddenly backing away from his touch.

I shook my head in bewilderment and slight fright before looking at my hands in front of me in misunderstanding. "What-what's happening to me? "

"Milana." Elijah breathed, taking my hands to gently lower them to my side before grabbing my chin with two fingers to catch my eye. "I'll explain everything in time. But I think we'd better go back to the living room. I can hear Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman approaching."

I swallowed again feeling reassured by his touch before taking his arm extended. With my hand on the top of his arm in this old fashion, I could not feel more unreal.

One thing was certain, I was intimately related to this vampire. And I was soon to realize my care for him.

* * *

I was back in the kitchen to help Jenna finish the dessert when a suspicious scream from the living room called out to me. I narrowed my eyes over my shoulder before asking Jenna if she would be all alone. The latter hastened to reassure me letting me shyly lead in the living room with apprehension.

At least, that was before I put my eyes on Elijah's dissected gray body lying limply on one of the chairs.

"Elijah! What did you do?" I exclaimed, trying to get to his body just to get arrested by Damon.

I could feel my chest tightening with a strange desire to cry as I fought tooth and nail against the vampire. "First, you want to control your voice, Jenna is here. Secondly, Alaric stabbed Elijah."

"Let go of me!" I ordered coldly, holding the bluish look of the vampire before trying to control my emotions.

I composed my trembling lips in a straight line before pinching the bridge of my nose as he carefully took his hands off my elbows. I took a step in the room straight towards Elijah before tentatively raising my hands towards his body filled with dark veins and greyish skin.

"Get away from this monster." John immediately ordered, trying to get closer to me.

Only it was not counting on improving my reflexes as I gave him a quick nudge before turning sharply to him." Don't touch me! You did it? All this idea came from you?"

"As much as I want to match the image you make of me, I'm not the one who stabbed him."John replied arrogantly as he put his dark eyes on the other man in the room.

I put my wide look of disbelief on Alaric as this one suddenly found his shoes much more interesting.

"Alaric? It was you?"

"Uh, well, technically," He stuttered, avoiding my gaze. "It was a joint effort. It was Damon's idea to kill him. John gave Damon the weapon. I had to kill Elijah because if Damon did, he would have died which John didn't tell him."

I immediately carried my fist to my lips in an attempt to control myself before finally exploding in the excess of emotions. "Do you have any idea of what you just did? Elijah was our only way to save Elena and kill Klaus! I should kill you for that! You have just sentenced Elena to death!"

"You can't possibly believe him?! He's a fucking orig-"

"He was the only source of information that could tell me what I was! Why did I make those horrible dreams about him and this girl? It was my only way to find out why Klaus wanted me even more than Elena! All of you are so fucking engrossed in this damn Elena rescue mission that you're unable to see that I'm just as in danger! Elijah and Katherine were the only ones to answer me about my questions and the fact that Klaus wanted me even more than Elena!"

I took a break to catch my breath as the implication of my words finally fell into my mind before watching the trio gauging me in panic and fright.

I took a deep breath before lifting my hands in surrender. " You know what? Forget that I even said something. I would find my answers and I would save myself. Jenna is come back. If she asks, tell her I've gone home for the night. I quit. I leave the stupid Scooby-gang."

I pulled my jacket out of my chair on the way out before abruptly stopping in the entrance. A feeling of concern and guilt crossed my chest as I thought about Elijah on this chair. No matter what they were going to do, I could not leave him like that. A feeling of moisture traced along my cheek making me immediately frown in the realization. I swept the tear with a simple hand betraying my attachment to the vampire before turning back to the stairs.

I could just as well wait in the study.

I was heading exactly to the library before stopping at the entrance before my elbows against the doorframe. I flew over the room filled with bookshelves and old books envied by the greatest collectors of this planet. A slight sense of calm fell on my shoulders as I leaned slightly to look at the end of my boots in thought. I closed my eyes as I tried to regain control of my emotions and all my questions.  
It was only a second to my eyes but I suddenly felt a pair of strangely familiar hands around me before being literally swept from my feet. I was quick to realize that I was in the possession of a vampire at the speed we were moving before I felt my stomach rise again in a rush of adrenaline.

It was only when the world stopped spinning around me that I gave way to fear. I was trying to fight my assailant just to let a gasp of raw dread as I was suddenly blocking against a wall with my arms over my head.

My blue-gray orbs soon met a pair of sparkling brown orbs making me raise my eyebrows in surprise and slight fright at his expression."Elijah! You're alive?"

"The deal doesn't hold anymore." This was he's only answer as he stepped back, keeping his grip on my wrist before opening a door on our side.

"What happened? " Asked a hoarse voice on the alert.

"I need you to locate Elena!" Hail Elijah still breathless visibly under the effect of anger. " At once!"

I took a moment to recover from my surprise just to give a frightened look at the vampire."What? No! Elijah, let me explain! You can't-"

In the space of a moment, I felt my ring slip literally on my finger before Elijah seized my shoulders to force me to face him. I felt all my limbs trembling under his touch as I became fully aware of the situation before giving him a pleading look.

The vampire had the audacity to look sheepish as he plunged his eyes into mine before letting his compulsion do the rest."This is for your good, my dear Mila. From the moment we enter this apartment, you will plunge into a deep sleep."

He didn't give me time to fully record the implication of his words as he forced me into the apartment.

From the moment I crossed the door, a feeling of irreversible fatigue took hold of me. I felt my eyelids roll in my skull as I lost myself in a world of silent abyss.

* * *

 _ **Elijah POV**_

He caught up on young Mila's body with ease before lifting her in a married style. While Luke Martin was doing the locating spell, he took care of slowly and carefully depositing the girl on the couch.

Once, lying comfortably, he grabbed the blanket lying on the back before covering her with care.

At the last moment, his finger slowly and affectionately traced the outline of her face. She was the exact replica of Milana. His Milana. The one he and his brother had loved long before the appearance of look-alikes in their lives. The one that represented the real forbidden fruit for their family. That she was right here under his eyes was surreal for him but he could not say he was complaining. She was certainly different but he could still see the pieces of his life spent in her.

It was only a matter of time before she regained full possession of all her memories, and he felt strongly that it would be triggered by Klaus' inevitable return. He just had to wait to be able to take absolutely everything he had. Mila would probably be the last piece on the board. It was enough for her to convince him to participate in his plan to ruin Klaus completely and indefectibly.

"I found her."

Elijah gave one last look at the human brunette before swiftly turning on his heel, straightening his bloodstained jacket before signing Mila with authority on his way to the exit."Make sure she stays asleep until I get back. "

The journey to the cabin was short for him as he walked along the gravel path with his eyes narrowing on the facade. He had been far too lax to leave the look-alike in the hands of those incapable. His courtesy was limitless.

He put his eyes on the gravel at the sight of the closed door before taking a handle. He felt the stones between his fingers before taking another step as he threw them with a single move of his wrist against the door.

Unsurprisingly, the wood gave way under the stones, letting him take a nonchalant step towards the entrance, now without a door. He barely listened as the argument between Stefan Salvatore and the look-alike could easily be heard.

 _"He can't do anything. He can't reach me. He can't enter."_

A faint, dark smile appeared on his lips at the last mention of the look-alike before walking towards the entrance with one hand in his trouser pocket."You know, I may not be able to get through that door. But I can show an angel's patience. I'll wait until you come out."

He listened to the look of the double reverberated against the floor of the cabin before standing up as she faced him with her arms squeezing around her in intimidation. She was exactly the replica of Katerina. Except she looked more innocent. The one whose men easily fell for. He already knew she was a double in the background. She would certainly end up using the same tactics. After all, it seems that she has already started with the Salvatore brothers.

That was where the difference was again with her dear cousin. Mila. She was certainly the exact replica of Milana. There, there was no pretense, no mistrust to have. She was in a gray zone with black and white morale in her brightest moments.

Mila was the real issue in all of this.

"What they did was a mistake."

"The deal is not good anymore."

"I ask to renegotiate." The brunette asked with audacity.

Elijah went up the steps of the porch with false interest. "How do you plan to do it? You have nothing left to negotiate. Not to mention that I already have your cousin, Mila."

A look of pure horror emerged on the characteristics of the brunette at the mention of the youngest Gilbert.

That was exactly the reaction he was waiting for. "The situation is pretty simple. I did this deal with you, Elena but only for Mila. You can use me to kill Klaus but you save was only to serve, Mila. You will weaken him while your cousin will be the real weapon."

He could see a light trickle of sweat flowing from the brunette's hairline as she swallowed in the realization.

"What do you want with Mila? What does she have to do with all this?"

Elijah simply shrugged, taking a lift from his suit jacket to inspect it for a moment before throwing it into the void."She's the end point to Klaus's life. But that only concerns me." He finishes his explanation by opening his arms expectantly. "So, what will it be?"

Unfortunately, the look-alike pulled out a knife under her arms, raising an eyebrow raised by the vampire. "I would like to see you attract Klaus to Mystic Falls with a double mortally wounded."

"At the risk of repeating myself, he will make the trip for your sister." Elijah replied visibly non-impressed by her small threat before adding to the effect. "Stefan will save you."

"There are chances. He will give me his blood and I will heal. But then I will commit suicide and become a vampire like Katherine." Elijah narrowed his lips at the persistence of the look-alike. "So, unless you want the story to repeat itself, give me the same promise as before. Promise me ... that you will not go after those I love. Those whom Mila likes. Even if they have attacked you."

Elijah gauged the brunette simply for the effect before mimicking an imperceptible head movement. "I'm sorry, Elena. For me all this is bluffing."

He smirked as she turned the blade of the knife toward her visibly hesitating before suddenly blinking his eyes as he accelerated at the vampire speed to the barred door as she actually planted her abdomen.

"Noooo!" He looked around the entrance stuck in annoyance and impatience before yielding."It's a yes! I accept your conditions. Let me save you!"

"Give me your word."

"You have my word."

Elena began to weaken in her ability to hold the pain before giving a new look at the vampire."And I want my sister. "

"Fine! Now let me save you. "

He retrieved the look-alike as she fell into his arms just to get up to the familiar feeling of the dagger penetrating his heart. The last thing he thought about before falling limply to the floor was the blue-gray eyes of a person from his past while all those under his compulsion were released.

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

I gasped in a hiccup as I leaped awake before looking around me in panic just to see this new high school guy with his father.

"Lucas, hold her!"

I widened my eyes to the elder of the chocolate-skinned man before watching the youngest approach me with a sense of panic.

I jumped out of the couch and let out a sudden hiccup of irritation as I was thrown against the couch again with a simple wave of the hand. "What do you want with me?"

"Be quiet. Everything will be revealed in due time."

* * *

 _ **Tadam !**_

 _ **Cliffhanger ! Sorry guys ^^**_


	39. Chapter 39 : Bruises

**Chapter thirty-nine : Bruises**

I did not even count the days at this stage anymore.

After being plunged again into a sleep force, I was awake again on this damn sofa uncomfortable. My back was loose, my mind still clouded and my metabolism was completely broken by sleep spells. Whoever said that the Sleeping Beauty was enticing didn't know what it was like to be asleep against her will. Worse, I had to stay idle for practically a whole night and a morning. I did not want to sleep at this stage and even less in the presence of these two wizards all but welcoming. All my questions were avoided or they would end up giving me enigmatic answers confusing me more.

The only thing they seemed to be able to tell me was that all my questions would be answered once Elijah was back with the double Petrova. But obviously, he was not coming back and I was seriously starting to lose patience.

The only good thing was that I had access to their huge library. Under their supervision it is.

Until now, I had been able to get as much information about my nature as with all my other research.

I gave a look at my watch, wincing before giving a look at the wizard. "Hey, I should be on my way to high school right now. "

"I know. This is the place where I am going right now." Intervened Lucas leaving his room with his books in his hand before using an apple in the fruit basket before giving me a sarcastic look. "I take your homework?"

I rolled my eyes on the irritating wizard before turning my eyes to the book stuck between my legs crossed in Indian style on the couch. I plunged into my research for most of the day without even bothering to recognize the sorcerer by my side.

For someone being kidnapped, I was strangely comfortable with this whole arrangement. After all, I was sure that anyone else in my situation would already try to flee but part of me still hoped to be able to defeat Klaus and save Elena in the process.

I stuck one of my locks of hair falling in my face behind my ear before suddenly raising my head at the sight of a plate entering my sight.

I scowled at Jonas Martin suspiciously before turning my gaze back to the plate of steak cooked with a pan of vegetables. "What is it?"

"Eat. Elijah will have our head if he learns that you didn't feed yourself." He explained in a totally constrained tone.

It was obvious that he did not particularly appreciate my presence in his home. FYI, the feeling was shared. But I was grateful for the fact that they had not brutalized me for now.

I assumed it was my own way of handling the situation. After all, I had been in enough kidnapping situations to know that reacting in panic would be useless. That's why I sat up and took the plate with a nod before taking a bite just as Jonas pulled a stool in my direction.

I frowned over my plate on the wizard before swallowing my bite as he signed the book between my legs. "Why are you so interested in this reincarnation story? "

"That's not what I am?" I asked in a hint of hesitation receiving an incredulous look from the wizard.

"Who told you that?"

"The first double Petrova? "

Jonas let out a bitter breath, crossing his arms before giving me a flat look. "You mean the second double. And I wouldn't take her word as truthful. You're much more complex than a mere reincarnation. This is what I know, your ancestor Milana, was the fruit of a double race. Half witch, half wolf, she juggled on both sides until she was claimed by the Alpha."

"Roman." I gasped in the realization receiving a simple shake of the wizard's head. "But ... a witch and a wolf? How it is possible?"

"She grew up as a witch under the wing of a witch power of her village. She had been left on her doorstep. While growing up, the woman who collected her taught her the arts of magic. But when she saw the threat grow on her little girl, she cast a protective spell on her."

I plunged my eyes on the book between my legs in thought before nibbling lightly on my lips. This was important enough information to be honest. After all, it helped me visualize Milana's nature a little better. She was stuck between two worlds with a constant threat hovering over her head. And yet, she seemed so happy in most of my dreams. She seemed literally overwhelmed with life, emotions and joy. Part of me bet on that blond-haired man. The one I could finally see from the front in my last dream.

Unfortunately, it always left a question open: what did it concern me?

"Why am I somehow connected to her?"

Jonas Martin gave me an appreciative look before getting up, clearly announcing the end of the discussion. " That's all I know. For the rest, you'll have to wait until-"

"Elijah come back with the look-alike." I gasped under my breath having had more than enough of that answer before giving him a frustrated look. "But he's still not here! Why does he spend so much time?"

I had to admit that despite my situation, part of me was worried about the vampire. He still had not come back and I was seriously beginning to suspect the worst. If somehow Damon had actually killed Elijah then it meant that Elena was really going to die. And that was an option I could bring myself to accept. She was my older sister. This annoying and moralizing and self-centered big sister but were not they all so? Despite all our differences, Elena was my big sister. She was the figure to which I was constantly turning while growing up. The one I wanted to look like. At least it was until I entered the same class as her. After that, I did everything to stand out.

Unfortunately, my attention soon turned to Jonas as his phone rang. I gauged him carefully, almost hoping to hear the name of some original vampire coming out of his mouth.

However, it would seem to be quite different as his gaze immediately turned to me with suspicion.

"She's in a safe place. What do they want? I see, it's not a good idea, Lucas. We can't trust them. We have Mila and it's enough for now. They tell you what?"

He paused with his dark eyes fixed on my person making me raise an eyebrow in question. I watched him reluctantly agree with his wrinkled lips in a straight line visibly in irritation before he lowered his arm by pressing the button hang up with his eyes still on me.

"Why do I feel like you're plotting my death? "

Instead of answering me, Jonas took three long strides towards me before sitting down on the stool with impatience. "Why is Stefan Salvatore and Bonnie Bennett wanting to meet my son and me? What do they plan?"

"How could I know? I've been locked in your apartment since last night." I reminded myself, shrugging my shoulders in pure sincerity.

I closed the book between my legs as Jonas leaped to his feet grumbling in frustration before he retrieved his brown suede jacket from one of the chairs on his way to the exit. "You will not get out of here. "

I mimed a childish grimace on his back as he closed the door before just rolling my eyes as I heard him whisper a barrier spell to trap me inside. Honestly, witches had a serious problem of trust. It was probably rooted in the genes all these little magic tricks.

I uncrossed my legs as I put the book on the empty space by my side before getting up by pressing my hands on the bottom of my back to stretch. I then scanned the now empty apartment with a feeling of complete boredom before whistling absently as I headed for the shelves provided. I let my fingers trace the columns of different volumes before stopping abruptly at the sight of an interesting title.

 **Hollow.**

I narrowed my lips, glancing over my shoulder before quickly taking the book between my hands. I went back to sit on the couch, stretching my legs all the way up this time before adjusting the cushion behind my head as I opened the first page.

In the beginning, there were two great Native American witch / sorcerer tribes. They unified at a unification ceremony to gain more power from their Alpha ...

I literally lost myself through this passage of history, forgetting even the existence of time or my current problems. All I could think of was to continue reading this book. It was as if my brain had given up any function except to read. It was only when I heard muffled voices coming from the other side of the door that I jumped back into reality before I weighed the book in my hands as if it had just burned me. I threw it unceremoniously on the couch before I hastened to turn on my side with my arms crossed against my chest.

I was careful to close my eyelids as I heard the key in the lock before calming my breath still under the effect of my reading as Jonas and Lucas entered the apartment. "We will save him whatever happens. But it's Elijah our solution. And not Stefan and his brother. In this band, we have only enemies. And we will take care of them."

I wrinkled my lips in concern now at the involvement of Jonas before asking me what these morons could have done to annoy him as well. I knew first hand that Jonah was not a wizard to take lightly. He was not our little local witch with her candle and feather levitation rounds. It was serious here.

"You mean you're going to kill everybody?"

"No." I released a relieved breath at the agreement of his answer before just cursing myself for being so stupid as he resumed in a grave voice. "But Elijah will do it."

* * *

 _ **Bonnie POV**_

"Chinese or pizza?" Caroline asked as she gave Elena a smile as she put a bowl of popcorn on the countertop.

"As if the question arose." She answered as she returned to the sink to bring more candy to Bonnie's smile.

However, she soon lost it quickly as a guilty thought crossed her mind. She watched Caroline take the tablet to order before frowning in guilt. She raised an eyebrow at the blonde at the sight of her sad expression before taking the tablet from her hands as she put her concern for Mila aside for now. She could take good care of herself.

"Give it to me. I order." She slid her finger down the touchscreen before stopping, as she thought about Mila anyway. "Should we really do that right now?"

"What do you mean?" Elena asked as she slowly walked over to Bonnie with her hands full of glasses and bottles as she shared a worried look with Caroline.

To be honest with herself, Bonnie definitely did not feel well lately. Not only did she feel naked and vulnerable without her powers, she was also unable to find Mila. And she hated that. She knew she needed her, and she was unable to do this tiny thing like casting a location spell. Not to mention that she felt horribly bad to laugh and act as if all was well when her best friend's little sister was in the hands of wizards. To be honest, Bonnie was pretty surprised when Stefan told her what Elijah really meant to do with Mila. If she had really known what Mila was hiding then she would have definitely put more effort into finding out what she was.

They had all been wrong since the beginning. They were all worried about Elena's life and blood when Mila was just as, if not more, in danger than her older sister. And worst of all, it was that Mila seemed fully aware of that. And yet she had not told them anything about her condition. She had continued to support Elena without saying a word.

Bonnie found herself once again hating herself for ignoring the whole situation. If she had not reacted well in the past, she would have continued her friendship with the youngest Gilbert. Perhaps then, Mila would not have felt the need to lie and hide from others. And now doing this girls' night without the little brunette with them was enough to fill her with a horrible feeling of guilt.

A feeling soon shared by her two other friends as Caroline lowered her shoulders, wincing in worry. "Don't you think they hurt her anyway?"

Elena froze at the mere thought as she swallowed before putting her anxious eyes on her best friend.

"He said nothing would happen to Mila." Assured Bonnie with a slight skepticism as she narrowed her lips in a straight line. "Elijah had asked him to keep her safe."

Elena shuddered at the mere thought of the original looking at her sister before giving a questioning look at Bonnie. "Do you trust him?"

"I don't know."

Bonnie nodded with her blonde friend as she stared at the tablet with a distant look. "I especially think he's lost. He doesn't know who he can trust. "

"I don't like to know Mila somewhere. All alone." Caroline puffed up from her position, leaning against the counter with her chin resting against her palm. "It's our fault if she didn't confide."

Elena slowly put the glass in her hands-on top of the counter in a shared feeling before settling on the free stool to her right.

She held her neck in her hands to try to relieve the pain and fatigue in her outstretched limbs before nodding. "I am the one to whom she should be able to say everything. But with what's going on with Klaus, Stefan, Katherine and even Damon, I didn't ... well, I was not up to her."

A heavy, meaningful silence fell on their trio leaving the trio of guilt-ridden girls.

It was before Caroline decided to make her sudden thought out of curiosity. She could not help it. She did not really manage the silences well and she was of a really nosy nature to be honest.

"What do you think Mila has to do with Klaus? "

Elena shuddered at the simple question before raising her frightened eyes on Caroline. "I don't know but we must at all costs prevent him from approaching her. I will not let her down again."

* * *

 _ **Mila POV**_

It turns out that after waking up from my nap, I was put to work by Jonas. They intended to release Elijah from the dagger and I had to help them light the candles and other kinds of amenities to help them.

In fact, I was not so sure of wanting to see the original again after the threat I had heard earlier.

Although that would probably lie if I really listened to my mind. Part of me was really excited about seeing his sparkling brown orbs. I put a new candle around the desk before showing a sympathetic look as I met Lucas's stressed look.

The latter already seemed to have his brown hazel eyes on me as he gauged me attentively through his stress. "Why do you too ..."

"Docile? Obedient? Disciplined?" I guessed for him with a small smirk as I decided to relieve a little of his nervousness. "Left to be kidnapped, so do it with civility."

Lucas gave a little smirk to my word choice before giving me a curious look. "You're not how I imagined you."

I raised an eyebrow in simple sign of answer.

"Elijah told us about you after he returned. He described you as a being from his past. A being of major importance to challenge Klaus. Although I can easily guess your attitude collected enough and bad ass, I must admit that I imagined you more ... old."

I gave him a visibly incredulous look before leaning over one foot as I put my hand on my hip with a sharp look. "What is it supposed to mean?"

"I ... uh ... it wasn't an insult. Far from there. In fact, it's ... uh, a compliment?" Tried Lucas showing a new aspect of his personality.

Honestly, I could not stop the smile of curling my lips. I was really beginning to doubt that Lucas was even a teenager. He was always so serious and so calm that I sincerely thought of having to deal with an adult. Although I doubt to be much more playful to be honest. I was not really a good example in this area.

Finally, it would seem that I would not have to answer as Jonas made his way back into the room holding the final candle needed for the spell. He was sitting in front of Lucas while I was standing on the sidelines with a slightly intrigued expression.

What could I say, it was probably my inner fan girl for Charmed coming out.

"I would go there if I could." Announced Jonas, giving a worried look at his son showing how much he cared for his children.

"No. I'm not strong enough to send you. But that I could do."

During my stay with the Martins I could understand a little better their feelings and interest in this ritual for Klaus. It seems that the original had kidnapped their daughter and now they were ready to do anything to recover. It almost made me feel jealous to be honest. They were doing their best to find their family member when I was trapped here for almost two days now. Even though I did not really want to run away, it was still a little hurtful to know that nobody was looking for me.

Although I have to relativize with the fact that my episodes of disappearances had been rather numerous these last weeks.

Did it make things better? Probably not. But I was pretty pragmatic so I figured I should be happy for now. I was not abused and apart from the trap part in the apartment, I did not really have to complain.

"Okay." Jonas finally agreed, putting the grimoire on the table and explaining the process. "I will stay anchored here and you will tap into my strength. If you ever feel weak then-"

"No it's OK! I am determined as much as you."

I felt like introducing on a private moment as father and son exchanged glances before shaking hands. I came closer despite myself with a look of fascination written on my whole face before crossing my arms on my chest expectantly. Jonas began chanting the spell once Lucas mentally visualized the original vampire letting me try to think of some kind of rational explanation for this process.

I let my eyes travel between the two Martin as Jonas gave instructions to Lucas in a flawless concentration. That was enough to remind me of my conversation with the elder Martin. Milana was also a witch.

"What do you see?"

"Elena and Damon are reading."

I was frowning at this since they were certainly on good terms but she would be more in the mood to spend her time with Stefan than with the evil vampire. At least that was what she liked to show everyone.

Anyway, something was wrong.

"Well. If Elijah is here you will feel his presence."

I nibbled inside my cheek as I focused only on Lucas in a bad feeling. I could feel my heart racing against my ribcage as I anxiously bit thumb skin.

Honestly, I was wondering how I was doing to get some nails out of this train.

However, my attention was soon divided as Lucas suddenly stiffened with his eyes open on alert. "Elena is fighting me."

"Elena?" I exclaimed instantly in disbelief.

That could not be Elena, why she would want to keep Elijah dead. She could not possibly have made a change of consciousness all the same.

Although after a minute of reflection, she could certainly do that.

I immediately drew closer to Lucas in anticipation before frowning as I watched Lucas have a really difficult time against my supposed _"sister"_.

Unfortunately, Elena could barely punch properly. She was definitely not strong and she was not really fighting. Something was wrong in this situation.

"Jonah, Elijah say that I should sleep for the entire time of his absence, right?" I exclaimed suddenly, hardly captivating the sorcerer's gaze.

"The compulsion of an original vanishes when he dies."

I widened my eyes in the realization before turning in a hurry to Lucas."In this case, it's not Elena. It's Katherine, Lucas!"

"Can I kill her? "

"It's a vampire, Lucas. Find some wood and sink it into her heart." Jonas said darkly as he squeezed his son's hand with all his strength.

I swallowed in apprehension before giving an alert look at the young wizard. "Be careful, Lucas. Katherine is not an opponent to be underestimated. "

I watched in horror as Lucas suddenly began to sweat in the effort before jumping in a leap at the sight of the young wizard burning abruptly. The flames were high as he leaped from the chair with screams of agony letting me bring my hands to my lips in petrifaction. I was totally unable to do anything as I watched Lucas search for a place to free himself from the flames.

Finally Jonas grabbed a blanket lying on the couch before covering his son who literally fell to the ground in a heap under the effect of pain. I felt my heart stop as Jonas apologized over his son's unconscious body.

"Is he-"

"No!" Jonas barked in denial, letting me look in the complete tear as he tried to recite a spell to revive Lucas.

I felt moisture drifting down my cheek, letting me sweep the drop with a wave of my hand before falling into the nearest chair in a heap as I kept my eyes locked in the air on Lucas' body. Jonas finally realized the death of his son yielding completely to tears as he collapsed on the chest of his son. I felt my body tremble with my sobs as I looked helplessly at the scene in front of me.

Unfortunately, I was not long in making a change of my emotions to 360 ° as his sadness quickly gave way to rage. I stared in fear as I got up from the chair in anticipation before frowning as he started taking out a frame of Elena in her cheerleader uniform with her hairbrush and one of her necklaces with a white stone pendant.

"Whoa, Whoa, Whoa, what are you ..."

"Don't come near if you want to live!" He gave me an icy glare before quickly turning the old pages of his grimoire.

I remained frozen in the indecision as I let my eyes travel between the affairs of my sister and the wizard visibly plagued by the sudden death of his son. I gave one last look at my sister's business before finally retreating in the hope that she would be adequately guarded by Damon and Stefan. There were moments in life when the decisions we made had bigger consequences than all of us. I was sure I was in one of them.

Unfortunately, I just could not reason a man with nothing to lose. It was a simple elementary knowledge. Now it was no longer a rescue but a pure and simple revenge. And I doubted I could do anything to stop him.

No matter what happened tonight, I will have blood on my hands again.

However, it would seem that I would have no memory of it as Jonas suddenly turned to me before raising his hand while singing. I felt my eyes rolls in the back of my head before I fully understood what he was doing before falling heavily into a pile on the ground. I groaned in a last sigh of struggle before completely succumbing to unconsciousness.

"Mila! Mila, wake up! Come on, please wake up, Mila!"

I uttered a grunt as the familiar voice disturbed my sleep before shaking my head with a grimace as I was literally blinded by the light."Mila, are you okay?"

"Mhm, too loud!"

"Sorry, but I don't have a choice. "

I let out a little cry visibly still confused by my alarm clock as I felt two arms weaves around me before being literally be rise from the ground. I was fully awake now as I clung like dear life around my savior's neck just to frown in confusion at the sight of Stefan's profile.

The vampire hastened to speed up to the vampire speed, letting me immediately hide my head in the hollow of his neck to the nauseous sensation smearing my stomach.

I hated these damn supernatural journeys.

"Elena. Elena must be-"

"I know!"Stefan nodded as he stopped suddenly in front of my house before resting with his arm around me. "I have to find Elena! Go home. We have a plan."

I tried to take everything at once before abruptly holding Stefan in panic. "Stefan, Jonas, he just lost his son! You can't leave him- "

"I know." Interrupted the vampire again in total ignorance before completely disappearing from my sight.

I let out a breath of incredulity before grumbling under my breath in indignation. "No, you don't know anything! "

I finished my cry in the air, turning on my feet in frustration before putting my annoyed eyes on the front of our house. I shook my head up the aisle before sighing wearily once inside.

That said, it was before being suddenly attacked by my twin. "Mila! You're okay."

He hugged me with all his strength against him, leaving me no room to breathe.

A fact that I was not long in reminding him as I struggled against his embrace. "Jer, I need to breathe."

"Just one more minute!" He breathed against the crown of my hair before standing at arm's length to examine me with his eyes. " You're okay?"

I could not really fight the slight smile curving my lips as I nodded.

However, I did not take long to take a solemn expression as the image of Lucas's charred body appeared behind my eyes. I shuddered in spite of myself before surprising my brother and myself as I tightened my arms around his back.

"I also need a minute." I whispered against his chest as I readjusted my head on his chest to hear the soothing sound of his steady heartbeat.

The footstep approaching interrupted our moment as I pulled away from Jer just to meet Bonnie's hesitant gaze.

I was sketching a forced smile for the witch as her presence was enough to remind me of the fatal scene I had witnessed before giving Jer a glimpse of the stairs. " I'm going to take a shower. I'm exhausted."

"Yeah, you do that."

I passed the brown one by giving Bonnie a fresh look before I put my hand on the rail as I climbed the stairs with a lethargic pace. I did not even have the strength to listen to their low whisper.

I rubbed my sore neck as I dragged my feet to my room before suddenly freezing as I felt a hand on my lips soon followed by a pressure point against the bottom of my back.

"Rest easy and I will not do anything to you." Jonas warned me darkly as I could suddenly hear Elena's voice on the floor below before just nodding at the wizard's request."It's understood?"

I let myself be dragged into our shared bathroom with my sister before taking a look at the wizard and myself through the mirror as he made us enter the bath. He slowly released his hand from my face before making me sign to stay here with the pointed end of a wooden stake in my face.

I swallowed hard as I looked at the weapon in his hands before just nodding in apprehension.

The footsteps on the stairs prompted me to immediately make my eyes widen as Jonas disappeared from the room. Pretty soon, the familiar back of my sister wearing a simple green T-shirt came to my sight causing me to pull the curtain slightly. The simple silent movement attracted her attention, clearly indicating the nature of the look-alike in front of me.

It was not my sister.

I could see the evil smile on Katherine's lips as I shook my head as a warning. Only Jonas's presence attracted more attention as she gasped and pretended to flee.

It was obviously of no use before he took hold of her arm.

The realization was transparent on his face as Katherine showed her true demon face before making me jump with a cry as she threw herself on his neck. I fell heavily back, sinking painfully into the shower head in the process before feeling the tears flowed freely from my eyes at the sight of Jonas's body now lying in his own pool of blood.

Nevertheless, I sat up slowly, very slowly, ignoring my jolts to watch Bonnie lean over the remains with compassion. "It was useless to kill him!"

"Yes, it was necessary." Was Katherine's simple answer.

Bonnie raised her trembling hand to Jonas's face, intent on closing his eyes only, he just got up suddenly before taking the witch's head in his hands. Bonnie screamed in surprise and fright before struggling just as Katherine gave the fatal blow again.

Finally, Bonnie leaned back against our bathtub as I grimaced as I stepped over the immaculate white pool.

I tried to ignore Katherine's Cheshire smile on my side as I pressed the place where my kidney was to test the pain."Hi little sister. "

"Clean that!" It was the only unkind answer I gave her as I hurried off the second body I met for the evening.

I slammed the door of my room behind me before pressing my forehead against it as a new wave of silent sobs assailed me.


	40. Chapter 40 : Lost in the fire

**Chapter forty : Lost in the fire**

"Whoa, Whoa, are you telling me that Isobel, Elena's mother is back in town?"

I shook my head distractedly without really giving much importance to this conversation. I slalomed through the alleys of the unique Mystic Falls art store before stopping on a selection of charcoals.

Felix hastened to join me with an expression watchful on me. "Mhm, mhm, are you all right?"

"Given that Jenna now knows that Isobel is alive and well and that she has completely cracked, that everyone around me looks at me like a puzzle and that I don't know what to think about the ritual to come? I am perfectly fine."

I had to admit that the Martin's death had hit me far more than I let it show. There was just so much death around us for so long now.

It was right…

"You're anything but fine." Objected Felix letting me glance over the art book in my hands. "I know you now, Mila. Tell me what you think."

I narrowed my lips as I put my saddened eyes on the page between my hands before turning my gaze on my most faithful ally."It's just ... I feel like it will never stop, you know? First it was my parents, then Vicky, Lexi, your father and Mason. How many people will have to die before it ends?"

"Oh, well! What a sad little life!"

I jumped at the agreement of the familiar voice of my sister before jumping in the other direction to face a smiling Katherine.

"Elena?"

"No, it's Katherine, Felix." I corrected myself, glaring at the vampire with animosity. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
Katherine pouted before giving a new, predatory look at Felix in a low voice. "I see that our future little wolf is still in the game. Mhm, this Lockwood, they have so much of a _je ne sais quoi._ "

"Show off!" Felix huffed bitterly, narrowing my eyes at the vampire. "And I'm still gay."

"What a pity!" Replied the vampire with mischief making me roll my eyes this time.

I closed the book in my hands to keep a control expression before giving her a dry look aside as I put it on the shelf. "That was your plan, when you said you didn't want me to be _disappointed_ , you manipulated us to make us doubt Elijah."

"A girl must do what she has to do." Falsely banged the vampire before she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders."Just a matter of survival, Mila, don't take it personally. I wanted to get out of the tomb and the only thing preventing me was Elijah's compulsion. Dead, he had no control over me."

"Your argument of Darwinism is getting old." Felix intervened, keeping his hateful eyes on the vampire.

Katherine immediately squinted at the brown showing her annoyance at him before quickly turning her attention back to me.

"Did you compel Uncle John?" I suspected with irritation."How? He's probably the most unlikely person to compel."

A broad, secret smile appeared on her perfect lips. "Oh, I had absolutely nothing to do, he wanted to get rid of the Salvatore brothers. He said to himself on a redundant mission to his daughter, I just gave him the weapons to do it." However, Katherine hastened to stand up, showing her palms flat to prove her point, "But on a positive note, I stayed and helped you."

"Right, you're a real good Samaritan now." Sarcastically commented Felix as he rejoined my side."But, oh no wait, you're still a bitch."

Katherine narrowed her eyes on the brown before returning her look so similar to Elena and at the same time different on me. "He's alive just because I have a soft spot for you, Sestra. "

I gritted at her unveiled threat before giving Felix a look over my shoulder. " We're going!"

The brown hastened to follow me as I passed the vampire by beating my shoulder against her.

A gentle breeze blew my hair around my angular face before I felt a hand close around my forearm stopping me in my step.

I jerked my intuition before shoving a vampire over my shoulder. "Let. Me. Go."

"Now, now, don't be so stupid, Mila." Katherine threatened, approaching me while sensually swaying her hips before giving Felix a warning look at his approach. "You wouldn't want to lose another person anyway. Or worse, that he maliciously activates the curse."

"You, bitch-"

"Felix!" I interrupted quickly, keeping my eyes fixed hatefully on the vampire before speaking in a low, impatient voice. " What do you want?"

An arrogant smile immediately appeared on the vampire's lips as she flipped over her high heels before crossing her arms under her chest, amplifying the plunging neckline of her beige tank top. "I'm currently rethinking my alliances. I was with John but he served his purpose.

Then with Stefan and Damon but something tells me that if I really want to reach my goals, you're the one I need."

I gauged the vampire in a heavy silence as I weighed my options knowing full well that her reasoning was standing. I hated to admit it but with Elijah out of the picture, we had little chance of really defeating Klaus. Now, I could simply remove the dagger from the heart of the original but I doubted it would be so easy to be honest. No, I needed another vampire.

"Mila ..."

I didn't know the anxious call of Felix as I supported the vampire's gaze in distrust. "Tell me what you know!"

"But it's a pleasure. "

So that was how I found myself sitting at the Mystic Grill with a 500-year-old vampire in front of me. Felix had taken his shift while keeping a close eye on our duet while I remained focused on the vampire.

The latter casually dunked a fry in the ketchup before returning her mischievous eyes on me as she crunched on the salty treat."Tell me, it looks like a real moment of bonding between us, right?"

"Isobel. Why she's back in town?"I stated earnestly raising a roll of vampire's brown eyes at my lack of recognition. "What does she want from Elena?"

"You shouldn't be trying to save your skin?" Katherine retorted, then slammed her tongue against her palate, pointing at me with a new fry. "When will you listen to me? If there is a moment where you must be selfish it's now. Klaus will stop at nothing now that he knows you're alive and well."

I frowned on the psychotic vampire before leaning back against the bench seat in mistrust. "I think I will continue in my way. Thank you. Now answer me, what does Isobel want?"

"So boring!" The vampire sighed, swallowing her bite before giving me a serious look. "As soon as she left town, she went looking for Klaus. She thought she had more luck if she and John put their hands on him before he put his hand on her."

"More luck to why?"

"To save the damsel in distress why else?" She replied with a roll of her eyes.

I ignored her obvious disdain for my sister before raising an eyebrow expectantly. "And? She found him?"

"As if!" She mocked as if that was the stupidest idea she had heard. "Klaus can't be found. It is he who finds us."

I wrinkled my lips as I lowered my eyes to the top of the table as the gravity of the situation suddenly fell on my shoulders. We were almost as lucky to escape the original as to win the lottery. It was almost improbable. And I really doubted that we could save Elena now.

The idea of removing Elijah's dagger was growing in my mind.

"How did you manage to escape him all these years?"

Katherine made a sound almost excited to my question before bending over the table with an air of complicity."Do you finally think about taking my proposal? I would be more than honor to give you my blood before slamming your neck."

I shuddered at her mere suggestion before wincing in disgust at the mere thought of becoming like her. I was already dark enough to know that I would lose any ounce of humanity once undead. I was probably the worst candidate for vampirism and I knew it well.

However, I was not long in being suddenly eradicated from my thoughts as Katherine suddenly leaped on her heels with grace and agility."What are you doing?"

"I'm going to visit an acquaintance." She answered, surprising me with her honesty before giving me a look of expectancy. " You drive."

I did not even have time to fully understand the situation as she turned on her heels, letting me look for a moment after her in disbelief. I was looking for Felix's eyes just to realize that he already had his attention on me. I supported his dark-brown gaze as I regained my senses before giving him a simple nod in reassurance. The brown shook his head fiercely in the negation but I just ignored him as I followed after the vampire. I took my keys out of the pocket of my leather jacket with a slight sense of apprehension before leaving the local bar.  
I scanned the parking lot looking for the vampire just to roll my eyes as I spotted her next to my SUV by waving her hand. I shook my head as I walked towards her before ignoring her as I pulled the driver's door hard.  
I did not need to look at her to know she was wearing her famous victorious air as she climbed into the passenger seat.  
I put the ignition on before taking extra caution to get out without getting into a car. Although I was sure that Katherine would take care of the problem.

Honestly, it was more to preserve a life than worry for the bodywork. I lowered the sun visor above me to retrieve my round sunglasses before putting them on without ever taking my eyes off the road.

"Take a left." Katherine said before focusing her mischievous attention on my profile as she raised her hand to point my beanie. "Mhm, this little red beanie ... totally trendy. "

She slid her finger along my long brown strands before spinning one of it around her awful finger. "Back off, Katerina!"

"Why? I know that you secretly love our little moments of bonding." Laughs the brunette falsely with a pout before resuming arrogantly."Obviously, I'm everything that Elena is not with you."

"Selfish and envious. What a wonderful combo." I commented sarcastically before glancing at her placidly. "Why partner with Isobel? What do you expect from her?"

"Well, it's certainly not for Elena's beautiful eyes. As you can imagine." She replied, glancing at the landscape before turning her head in my direction. "But if you really need to know, Isobel is supposed to have a deal with Klaus for me."

"Klaus?" I repeated in disbelief before accentuating my grimace at each of my proposals. "Are we talking about the same psychopath? The original immortal who has never stopped chasing you for more than 500 years? This Klaus? The lack of blood reached you that much?"

Katherine rolled her eyes at my sarcasm before leaning maliciously towards me. "Would you be worried about me?"

I immediately composed my expression in pure neutrality before giving her a venomous glance aside."As far as I'm concerned you can perish at the hands of Klaus."

"Ouch!" She whispered, putting her hand on her chest before giving me an appreciative smile."I like when you talk dirty to me like that."

I winced, glancing at the vampire before looking back at the road as I noticed the unknown terrain. The path she had pointed out had led us to the larger homes of Mystic Falls. It was also the place where there was also the most seizure.

Finally, she motioned me to stop in front of a huge Victorian house surrounded by dirt. I shut the engine off with a suspicious look on the facade before casting an incredulous glance at the vampire as she threw me a simple - _stay in the car until I come back_ \- before disappearing at vampire speed. I found myself looking stupidly at the vacant place before giving a sigh as I dropped back against the backrest in exhaustion. I brought my hand over my face to try to wipe away the tiredness of my eyes before I just pinched the bridge of my nose closing my eyelids. I had never been particularly fond of my conversations with the vampire but I had to admit that part of me agreed with her. Part of me wanted to run away.

Unfortunately, it seems like it would be a lot harder now than the little band really knew about my involvement in it all. A proof of this was translated by my phone suddenly starting to ring.

I was already rolling my eyes in anticipation at the sight of Damon's name flashing on my screen before picking up as I brought the phone to my ear with annoyance. "Damon?"

"Hey, little Gilbert. Quick question: why don't you find yourself with the little offspring of the litter?"

I rolled my eyes at his arrogant tone before squinting my lips as I straightened my shoulders with confidence through my lie. "I'm at the bookstore."

"Um, beep! Wrong answer! I know you're not here. I know it, I went there." The vampire replied at once, before resuming in a more demanding tone. "Answer me before I finally hunt you down, oh sweet Mila."

" _'Found you're friend'_ is not really what I call tracking someone." I said nonchalantly before starting coldly. "Stop looking for me! I don't have time for your dramas, I try to save my life here!"

I did not wait any longer as I hung up before looking at my screen with a sigh. This would seriously start to pose a problem. Although no longer pose a problem apparently as my phone started ringing again.

I took a long sigh at the sight of my sister's ID before picking up again. "Elena? What is this call worth to me?"

"How dare you hang up on me you little brat!"

I rolled my eyes pinching the bridge of my nose at the vampire's agreement in the background."Of course, Damon is with you."

"She doesn't make her difficult at least!"

"Mila, where are you?" Elena asked ignoring the annoying comments of the vampire. "I thought we agreed. No more secrets. "

"Correction, it's not because you feel guilty about what's going on with Jenna that I'm going to agree to work with you." I replied in frustration and annoyance. "You're the one who dagged Elijah therefore, you made your choice. From now on, I'll do mine. You have a whole team behind you, you don't need me. So-"

"Mila, wait!" Hailed Elena in eagerness at my final tone. "You can't seriously expect to go against Klaus alone. Elijah wanted you more than me. What do you think will happen?"

I clenched my jaw in indignation at her point before shaking my head, narrowing my eyes on the front of the house to get past my anger."And you think it's the fault to whom? Honestly, Elena we have nothing to tell us anymore. I'm going to hang up now."

I did exactly that before hanging up just as Katherine waltzed out of the house. She literally strutted toward the passenger side before climbing with a predatory expression written on all her look-alike faces.

I immediately turned to her expectantly just to receive an arched eyebrow from her. "What? "

"Well? Tell me what you are plotting." I insinuated, immediately raising a mysterious smile from the old vampire.

The latter displayed a false thoughtful look before turning to me curiously."How much do you want to run away from Klaus? "

This time, I settled back in the seat, somewhat suspicious before swallowing in mistrust. I knew the vampire well enough to know that everything had a price with her and that meant most of the time having to betray my sister and her little bodyguards. I had no doubt that it would require the same sacrifice again.

"Does this plan involve throwing Elena under the bus?"

"You have to combine business with pleasure." She replied nonchalantly, letting me reposition myself behind the wheel.

I turned on the ignition before reversing in a final tone. "I'll drop you one last time."

Obviously, she had to choose the boarding house. I rolled my eyes on the vampire as she came down with a wink in my direction confirming my thoughts before disappearing inside. I gauged the front door in the reflection already knowing what she was plotting before putting the contact. I could definitely not do anything for Elena. After all, they were the only ones to invite the devil home. This will serve as a lesson.

Instead, I headed straight for the Mystic Grill to pick up Felix. The brown escorts me to the Whittemore Campus, where our dear aunt Jenna was hiding.

* * *

The trip to the university was composed of laughter, relaxation and conversations all unrelated to the supernatural. It was only when I saw the Whittemore campus that I could feel all the stress, worry, and frustration of the last few days leaving me. I could not help the weak smile of hope bending my lips in a grin as I parked in front of the huge administration building.

A feeling also shared by Felix as he watched the building with an impressed hiss. "And, well, that's almost dreaming."

"Isn't it?"

Felix immediately turned to me for my question before gauging me with understanding."You'll go to college, Mila. I promise you that. "

I gave a soft look at the brown as a sign of response knowing that there was little chance that it happened. To tell the truth, I was sincerely surprised to be still human at this stage. It was honestly a miracle that I had not yet perished in this world. The least we can say is that Felix and I clung as best we could to our humanity. I gave one last smile on the werewolf before opening the door telling him to do the same.

I straightened my leather jacket around the hood of my SUV to join Felix before recovering the cup of coffee to take it he handed me while closing his door with his elbow.

His eyes were still riveted on the tall building as he took a sip of his own cup before issuing his question aloud. "So, what's the plan?"

"Well, for starters, we'll deliver a bag of clothes to Jenna." I explained, going over the brown to get the travel bag lying on my back seat before slamming the door to shift my attention to Felix. "Then we will pray that she agrees to listen to us."

"Wait, you're going to tell her the truth? "

I paused in agreement at the incredulous and slightly panicked tone of the brown before creasing my lips as I glanced over my shoulder."Yeah, that's the best way to keep her here. I must admit that even though I'm fucking mad at my uncle John, he was right to confess to Jenna. He had planned her escape. He knew he could protect her from anything that walked around."

"Whoa, so, back to calling him Uncle John, huh."

I shrugged my shoulders with a sheepish look on the brown as he joined my side on the steps of the administration. I tightened my grip on the travel bag strap between my hand as I asked directions to Jenna's dormitory before venturing on campus with Felix. I had to admit that this place really made me dream to be honest. After all, it was literally what I wanted most in the world. I wanted a life after all these vicissitudes. I wanted to study, learn and discover the world. I wanted to meet a love that was not complicated by the presence of my sister or even found a family, who knows.

It was simple aspiration at my age and yet I already knew that I could never reach them. It was as if I had been diagnosed with cancer. It was incurable and was spreading a little more each month. It was evolving. Much too fast.

"Hey, you okay?" Felix finally asked, forcing me out of my dark train of thought to glare at him.

"Did you ever blame me for involving you in all this?" I asked suddenly in a small voice as I risked an anxious look at the brown at my side.

The latter stopped suddenly in our approach leaving me to do the same in apprehension. He immediately set his eyes dark brown almost black on my form before displaying a real pensive expression.

"You want me to be honest?" He asked me to swallow with difficulty as I silently nodded."At first I blamed you, when your sister tried to sacrifice me with her, I thought you were the reason this was happening to me. If you had kept my nature a secret then it would not have happened, but the time at your lake house has allowed me to think, and I know that you have tried to protect me from all this for as long as possible. You even jeopardized our friendship for that, maybe I'm not the same ignorant gay guy who's too frank and enthusiastic, but I think you didn't really have a choice. No choice but to answer my questions."

I could feel a slight ball of emotion stuck in my throat as I tried to form an adequate response to his honesty. To know that Felix did not blame me for all that was really a source of relief. Nevertheless, I felt guilty for having him involved in all this mess.

"If it were up to me, I would have willingly sacrificed our friendship if it meant you didn't have to be in danger." I declared seriously, evoking a white expression of the brown.

He narrowed his lips as he avoided my emotional eyes before focusing his attention above my head."You know I never really had a friend before you, right?" I nodded, keeping my eyes on his profile even though he continued to avoid my gaze as he went on. "Honestly, you're probably the person with whom I really felt myself, so if facing dangerous situations and having to defeat an abominable thousand-year-old vampire comes into the picture then I'm ready for that."

He finally looked down at me to support my gaze, leaving me with a real smile.

The brown hastened to post a correspondent before giving me his best impression of Katherine Pierce. "Ew, too much human emotion, my god, help, I'm going to melt, too much weakness, my eyes!"

I openly chuckled at his antics before simply taking his forearm to shoot him with me." This way. "

Felix just followed me with a persistent smile on his lips. He knew that confessing my worries was only a small part of the iceberg plaguing my mind but he was ready to wait. He was like that. A friend who was there when we needed him but did not push when we were not ready to talk. That was why I really cherished his friendship. It was the boy that allowed me to stay afloat. When everyone was ready to save Elena, I knew I could always count on him. He was on my boat and it was a real source of assurance.

We were quick to stop in front of the closed door of Jenna's room. I gave Felix a nervous look before taking a breath as I raised my fist to hit the hard surface. I took a step back in waiting before posting a purely innocent expression as Jenna opened the door on the fly.

Her expression soon turned into a betrayal as she threw a look on Felix before returning her warning look at me. "What are you doing here, Mila?"

"You forgot to take spare clothes?" I tried, raising the bag in front of my face as I grimaced expectantly.

However, Jenna kept her face neutral as she took the bag from my hands before getting ready to close the door. "Go home, Mila. You too, Felix."

"Wait, Jenna, we'll tell you everything." I have my hand against the door to keep her from closing.

The Venetian blonde stiffened under the shrug of my voice before giving me a bitter look,"Because there are still more secrets? "

"Well ..." Hesitated Felix giving me a side look forcing me to nervously support his dark brown eyes before turning back to Jenna, licking my bottom lip.

Jenna narrowed her shady green eyes between us before opening her door wide with an aura of authority emanating from her. " I want to know everything."

I shook my head sheepishly as I stepped under her arm followed by Felix before walking nervously into the center of the room.

I scanned the room nervously, turning as Jenna slammed the door before giving her a look of apprehension. "Your roommates are not here?"

"Not that I know." Jenna answered flatly before supporting my gaze with her arms crossed over her chest. "And don't try to save time. "

I immediately set my sights on Felix receiving a tense grimace of the latter as he cast an uncertain look at Jenna. "I think you should start by sitting down. It can be a shock."

"A shock?" Jenna exclaimed with a confused expression before turning instantly to me. "Mila, what's going on?"

I immediately gave an incredulous look at Felix since he had managed to worry her before pinching the bridge of my nose in indecision. Bringing Felix may not have been the best idea I had. Certainly, Katherine could have been a better option at this point. She could at least corroborate my info.

Feeling my distress, Felix took it upon himself to catch Jenna's attention away from my distressed form. "As you know, John and Isobel are Elena's biological parents. But believe me when I say that is the least disturbing secret."

"Felix!" I was indignant at myself before turning anxiously to Jenna to analyze her reaction.

The latter seemed definitely more worried now, thank Felix for that, and looked confused between us. "Mila, do you want to explain to me? "

After more than half an hour of explanation, Jenna was literally speechless in front of us. Her gaze was empty as she just stared at us without any reaction. She had not said a single word or even asked a single question throughout our explanation. She could easily mistake us for the moment since we had absolutely no way to prove our explanation, but she knew me well enough to know that I was not the type to lie. Plus, she was smart enough to see that the things they had done in the last few months had been pretty crazy.

Unfortunately, it turned out that she did not emit a single reaction. Not even a cry or an escape attempt. She was just there to gauge us as if we had just grown another head out of our body.

"Will she faint now?" Asked Felix, leaning over me with a worried look at Jenna.

I gave Felix a sideways glance since he was not helping the situation before creasing my lips as I slowly walked over to Jenna. I kneeled to be at her height before trying to take her hand just to freeze as she almost immediately removed her hand out of my reach.

She finally raised her wide eyes in disbelief before jumping suddenly making me literally fall on my ass as she began to pace the room up and down in panic. " Oh my God! It can't be possible! Are you ... and you ... a werewolf? Oh my god, how is it possible? I knew absolutely nothing during all this time? It's ... then Elijah and Damon and Stefan ... and I'm getting completely free!"

"That was what I looked like when you told me?" Oddly asked Felix as he helped me up before giving Jenna a critical look. "Maybe we should shut her up before she alerts the whole dorm."

"Seriously, Felix?" I paused on the insensitive brown before taking slow new steps towards Jenna as with a wounded animal. "Jenna, listen to me ... please, I-"

"Oh, I did listen to you."She interrupted me in total panic as she waved her hands in front of her while turning to me. "So, all those horror stories that I had to listen to before going to sleep, vampires, werewolves, witch ... things that I thought were simple stories are ... is it real?"

"Yep. I know it shocked me too. "

"Totally not helping, Felix!" I grumbled under my breath before turning back to Jenna."Listen to me, Aunt Jenna. You need to take slow, deep breaths. I know it's a lot to take but ... breathe. Take long inspirations. "

Jenna followed my advice as she fanned herself with her hands to catch her breath before looking at me, tears in her eyes.

She was visibly still in shock as she finally swallowed as she let herself fall back to the nearest bed in exhaustion. "It's completely crazy."

"I know. It takes a while to get used to it." I confessed, nodding slowly to give her time to consider everything before trying to approach her again.

This time she did not shy away from my touch as I sat by her side before taking her hand in mine to support her almost translucent green eyes on the tears.

"I should have come more prepared to offer you a choice to forget everything but that's how I chose to do things. To be honest, I'm not particularly fond of this little vampire trick. I wanted to tell you everything because lying is not the best solution. It didn't work well with Jeremy and keeping you in the dark just made you unhappy. I'm really sorry for lying to you, Aunt Jenna. "

"Oh, Mila." Hailed Jenna giving in to tears before throwing her arms around me to hug me.

I immediately gave her a hug clearly relieved as I felt her soothing perfume infiltrate my nostrils before giving me a moment to regain my senses.

However, Jenna soon pulled away from me while holding me at arm's length. "I don't want to forget, Mila. I want to know what's going on around me. Besides, I can't protect you if I am kept out of the way. How you did it to survive all these trials exceed me. You should have told me earlier. I might not have been able to fight these things ... but I could have been there at least to comfort you."

I nodded throughout her explanation before posting a contrite expression as I pulled my arms from her touch. "Aunt Jenna, you can't go back to Mystic Falls. "

"Why? What-wait, what about Ric? Does he know too?" Jenna asked in a hurry.

I winced in anticipation before nodding reluctantly. "Yes, Ric, he knows everything too. He helped me a lot through the process. Although his story is somewhat unorthodox."

As planned, Jenna began a series of questions about her lover letting us answer as best we could to fill in all the whites in their relationships. I did not particularly like taking Ric's place in this explanation but it was necessary if we wanted Jenna out of danger.

Finally, she shook her head, massaging her beating temples under the weight of the information before narrowing her eyes to our duet with an accusing air. "And you hid all this from me?"

"I was also angry when I learned it." Intervened Felix, letting me glance at him over my shoulder. "But for their defense, it's not the kind of thing you can shout on every roof."

Jenna coldly laughed at Felix's statement before resuming irritation. "So, what was the plan? You expected to continue lying?"

"Not necessarily?" I hesitated with a grimace as I shrugged my shoulders before quickly resuming seriously. "Listen, Jenna, do you realize why you can't go home now?"

Jenna frowned quickly before shaking her head. "Oh, I'm going home." I held my breath in frustration before releasing a long sigh as she continued in determination."Once I found a way to make Ric pay for his lies. "

I raised my eyebrows at the sight of her conspiracy expression before casting an uncertain look at Felix. The latter shrugged in response, letting me straighten up with a new roll of my eyes at the feeling of my vibrating phone in my back pocket of my jeans. I quickly recovered the latter by sliding my finger on the screen before extinguishing it almost immediately at the sight of the many missed calls of Stefan and Damon.

They were not my problem anymore. I was going to handle the situation my way now.

I knew maybe I was wrong to finally let Katherine's ideas obscure my judgment but she had survived for more than five hundred years. It probably meant something.

I was pocketing my phone in my jeans pocket before giving Jenna a questionable look. "I know you want revenge on Ric but you really shouldn't come back to town for a while."

"I thought you were supposed to tell me everything. There is something else?" Jenna asked suspiciously.

This time it was Felix who laughed as he gave Jenna a distressed look. "Besides the fact that a horde of fairytale creatures are thronging the Mystic Falls floor? There is still so much-"

I immediately gave a sharp look as a warning sign on the brown before shaking my head on Jenna. "Maybe wait after the next full moon?"

"Right, werewolf." Jenna agreed sarcastically before giving a curious look at Felix, "Can't you really show me anything?"

"His eyes can shine on a full moon." I replied nonchalantly clearly accustomed to this kind of speech.

Jenna, on the other hand, took a step back, giving a much more careful look at Felix. In response, the brown clumsily waved his hand to my aunt. I shook my head on the duet before hastening to squeeze Jenna again as she promised to come back after the next full moon.

* * *

After that, Felix and I had calmly returned to my SUV. Without even noticing it, we had spent the whole afternoon explaining the situation to Jenna. Now she was fully aware of the monsters hiding among us and I could not help but feel that feeling of relief along my limbs.

"Klaus will already be in town by the time of the full moon." Finally declared Felix distracting me momentarily from my thoughts.

I took my eyes off the road to give him a side look with a contrite air.

A look of realization passed on his fine features as he gave me an accusing look. "But that you already knew it. So, what was this whole plan? A way to scare her?"

"I'm trying to save her life."

"By keeping her away!" Felix recalled in indignation before giving me a glare. "You will surrender! You're not going to fight."

I immediately avoided his gaze in guilt. He had unmasked me. I assumed I could not really hide it from him anymore. Felix was far from stupid.

"Hold on!" Suddenly exclaimed the brown giving me a warmed look in anger. "That's why you asked me if I blamed you, it was your way of relieving your conscience before you died?"

I winced at the agreement of my fate before trying to explain my choices. "The priority of Mystic Falls is Elena, we still don't know what Elijah really meant to do with me, I was supposed to be his ultimate weapon or I don't know what, do you really think Klaus will be nice to me if I'm I one of the ways to annihilate him? I can't have a replica of the family slaughter like he did with Katherine. Elena was right on this point. Too many lives are at stake."

"So, what?" Felix blew visibly in anger. "I thought ... how can you be so fucking selfish, Mila, you said that Elena was the family's egoist but at least she agreed to be helped. You just want to make believe that you're looking for a mean when you're actually waiting to be picked."

I tried to disregard his reproaches as I could feel the frustration, fear and anger running down my veins to his accusations. Did he really think that I did not want to fight? That I did not want to live? It was certainly not by choice that I did all that. At least, it was not a choice that I had taken lightly.

I narrowed my lips at the wolf's heated stare on my side before just shrugging my shoulders as I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. "Elijah was our only hope. "

"In that case, let's wake him up!"Suggested suddenly Felix almost making me put on the brake.

I gave him an incredulous look, which he contented himself with supporting with uncertainty."You think about it seriously?"

"What's stopping us?" Insisted the brown, marking a point as he rolled his eyes. "It's not because they all decided that protecting your egoistic sister was more important than one should think the same. You think Elijah is the solution. In this way, I think the same. Mila, you saved me. You're the one who told me the truth and without you, I wouldn't even be human. Not quite at least. So, if you think that waking Elijah will help us keep you alive then be it. I'm in."

I felt a slight smile curl my lips in emotion as I supported his intense gaze before returning my eyes to the road with a firm shake of the head. "It's not going to be easy. We're going to need a plan."

"And more particularly a way to keep them apart. "Accepted Felix pointing my phone in his port.

The screen was still flashing with a call from Elena, letting me glance my screen briefly before hanging up as I turned my attention to the road. "They tried to contact me all day long."

"Do you think a new drama is produced?"

I wrinkled my lips in thought before giving a knowing glance at the brown at my side. "The last time Isobel was in town, she kidnapped Jeremy with John's help and forced us to give her the fob watch that caused your accident to Tyler and you."

"Wait, is it because of this bitch that we had this accident?"

I grimaced, shaking my head before giving him a sorry look. "That's also why your father ... Mayor Lockwood is dead."

I could see the realization on Brown's face as he suddenly turned his eyes on the windshield with a darkened expression. The mention of his father was still a sensitive subject for Felix.

Honestly, I did not really know how he managed to cash everything as well. Personally, I had been overwhelmed by several panic attacks in recent months. Now that I thought about it, we never really had to address his state of mind about the death of his biological father. I knew he hated him but certainly, he must have been somewhat intrigued about him. After all, it was a simple human sense to look for similarities in our pairs. That was probably why Tyler's departure had affected him somewhat.

This brought a sudden thought definitely darker in my mind. All day Felix had reminded me how much my friendship and presence counted for him. Now, even if I had decided to give his plan to wake up Elijah a chance, I couldn't help worrying about his well-being if it failed.

How would he react to my disappearance? Will the rest of the group take him under their wing?

Certainly, Damon would be so miserable as to leave him alive. At least, I sincerely hoped otherwise I would have to come back from the dead to haunt his sorry psycho ass.

Anyway, I tightened my grip on the steering wheel by giving a contrite look at the brown. I sincerely hoped that Plan A would work. Because I was not sure Felix would survive plan B.

 _ **Third POV  
**_  
Meanwhile, Katherine was currently fainting on the floor of an unknown place. At the agreement of a whispered spell, the vampire moved slightly in her awakening with a deep frown confused on her perfect face. She turned her head to the source of the voice just to feel her heart fall into her chest in terror at the sight of a man lying back in the hands of the wizard who had kidnapped her.

She sat up silently, looking apprehensively at the blood bag attached to the man's body in the gray t-shirt before looking at the other empty vial. She scans the place where she was before looking at her neck in search of her necklace just to see that it was gone.

The spell was soon to finish leaving her to freeze as the man in the gray T-shirt got up from the chair to face the wizard.

The latter literally bowed to the man in the T-shirt confusing Katherine more. "Alaric?"

The vampire hunter stared at her with a smirk warning the vampire as she moved at the vampire speed to the door just to realize she was trapped in the apartment where she was.

She immediately turned on her high heels just to face Alaric or rather the one who has chasing her for more than five hundred years."Zdraveĭ, Katerina. I missed you so much."

"Klaus. "


	41. Chapter 41 : I'm so tired

**Chapter forty-one : I'm so tired...**

"You know you'll be late for your history class if you stay here."

"One more minute." I asked with a finger raised to Felix as I again flew over the plan of the boarding house. "Elijah must be in the basement."

"I love our lives!"

I pointed the box representing the basement on the most opposite corner of the map before giving a look at Felix.

The latter flew over the library in mistrust before giving me an uncertain look. "How do you plan to do it?"

"I need a distraction. Katherine disappeared with the moonstone and it looks like Klaus is finally in town." I recounted the latest news I had learned from reading my sister's diary. " It's now or never. We don't have the right to make mistakes."

Felix rolled his eyes at my knowledge before shaking his head in disrepair. "The fact that your sister continues to write their little plans in her diary is beyond me. Does she have no sense of self-preservation?"

"It's Elena we're talking about." I said again before quickly rolling the map to retrieve it.

I slid an elastic band along the rolled-up map before putting it in my backpack while Felix lowered himself to take his bag.

He pulled the straps of his bag over his shoulders before squeezing his hands around the straps, expectant. "Can we go to class now? I know that Alaric is your history teacher but Mrs. Meyers is not going to give me a free-pass."

"You will survive." I teased, putting my hand on his forearm before I passed him as I headed for the corridor where my next class was.

"Easy to say when you're going to spend half subjects of the PSAT two year in advance." Hailed Felix after me making me smile in amusement.

Most corridors were already empty since classes had already started. It did not leave me much time. I already knew I was risking an absence brief but since Alaric was my teacher, I knew I was not risking much at the moment. I did not know about the posters announcing the next stupid high school dance and decided to think more about Felix's last word. It was true that I had the opportunity to pass the PSAT this year. Even with the supernatural world shaking my life, I had managed to make all my projects on time and my top grade had allowed me to acquire a grade never reached in the high school of our small town. Hence the reason they sent me an email to summon me to the PSAT seniors.

I sincerely wanted to complete this famous rite of passage before succumbing to Klaus but, to be honest, I was not sure that I would have the chance. There were so many things I wanted to do at the moment and so little time.

I kept my eyes focused on the end of my sneakers as I approached the classroom before straightening up once in front of the closed door. I could hear the familiar voice of Alaric ranting about the 60s reminding me once again of this stupid dance. Of course, he chose to do his class on high school dance.

Seriously, Ric?

I shook my head before lifting my clenched fist to hit the hard surface.

"Yes? "

I then put my hand on the handle before turning it while passing my head in the crack. "Sorry, Mr. Saltzman. I was in-"

"Mila." He interrupted me in a breath strangely amazed and fascinated making me frown.

I gave an awkward look at the rest of my classmates, also looking at Alaric in confusion before giving my attention to Jenna's boyfriend again. "So ... can I come in?"

"Absolutely." He answered at once, waving his hand with a broad smile before following me with his eyes as I took my place in the back row.

I took out my things on the top of the table clearly unaware of Alaric's fascinated eyes still focused on me. I ended up taking a pen before standing up in front of the table by spinning the pen between my fingers. I leaned slightly with my free hand supporting my neck clearly already in my own little world of plan and plot.

It was thus that I remained literally ignorant of the almost too obvious glances of a certain professor in my direction.

* * *

Finally, the hour soon came to an end, letting me return to the world of the living to throw half my belongings into my purse. I did not know Stefan's, Elena's, and Bonnie's glances at me as I threw the strap of my bag over my shoulder before I went up the desk driveway to the exit.

At least, it was before the voice of Alaric calls me.

I slowly turned on my heels in confusion and arched an eyebrow at the expectant teacher.

"A word, please?" Alaric motioned to stay professional as he signed the now free desk opposite his.

I met the confused look of my sister as I redirected to the place assigned by Alaric before waiting for the class to be empty to sit on the top of the desk. "So ... what's up, Ric?"

Maybe I was still annoyed with him for having dagged Elijah but I could not really deny all my allies. Moreover, he had always been very wise in the past. Alaric let out a breathless breath as he walked around the desk to join me before leaning against his desk facing me. I raised an eyebrow as he just watched me as if it was the first time, he had seen me for a very long time.

"Ric? "

"Mhm? Oh, yeah ... how's uh ... Jenna?" He asked, scratching his temple.

I rolled my eyes to his love-stricken expression before shrugging my shoulders. "She will recover. She's stronger than you and others thinking."

"Right. You know something." He replied almost immediately confusing me again, "About force, I mean. You seem to be strong."

I let a slight smile bend my lips to his comforting assumption before crossing my arms over my chest. "If it's your way of reassuring me that Klaus is coming, it's pretty good, Ric. Thank you. "

"Klaus, mhm ... what do you think of him? "

"What do you mean?" I asked, narrowing my brows before leaving a puzzled breath. "You know it's more complicated than that. Elijah said Klaus wanted something from me. Even Katherine said it. However, I don't know what. I don't know if he intends to sacrifice me on the altar as my sister or if he foresees me a lot more fatal fate. Honestly with all the rumors about him, I think being in the blur of his intentions about me is much worse than Elena's situation. Without wanting to look egocentric. "

I looked pensive as I lowered my eyes to the ground again before suddenly freezing as I felt Alaric's presence enter my personal space. I barely had time to rest my eyes on him that he had already taken my chin between his thumb and forefinger to make eye contact.

"Uh, Ric, what are you doing? "

"You're not her. Not yet, anyway." He whispered almost in a kind of trance, making me back my head in the hope of pulling me out of his touch.

I had never had that sort of vibe with Ric but this time I could not stop the hairs on my arms from getting up. I swallowed, glancing discreetly at the door in a deep desire to escape.

It seemed to be coming out of his trance as he unfastened his fingers from my face before taking a sudden step back with a forced laugh."Sorry, love. You should go to your next class."

Love? Okay, it's really weird.

Nevertheless, I decided to ignore this slippage as I shook my head before giving one last worried look at the brown already seeming to move on.

I pretended to be heading for the exit before stopping by giving Ric a look into the preoccupation. "Ric, are you okay? "

This time, he gave me a broad, almost predatory smile, chilling my blood. "I have never been better."

"Okay?" I replied visibly in a word loss before just leaving the classroom with a deep, confused look.

If it was not my strangest conversation with Ric then I did not know what it was. Nevertheless, I was striving to leave this strange moment away from my train of thought as I thought of a way to free Elijah.

However, it was not counting on the number of people wishing to speak to me today. I did not even walk two steps down the corridor as I felt a hand wrap around my forearm before I was suddenly pulled into ... the boys' restroom?

I cast an incredulous glance at the nauseating spot by pinching the bridge of my nose before giving a frightened look at my twin fool. "Ew ... can we know what you're doing?"

"Stop it, it's not that bad."Just replied Jer making me shrug my shoulders in defiance. "Ok, it's horrible. But that's not the point."

I decided to ignore my discomfort for his good before removing my fingers from my nose holding my best breath. "Well, what's going on then? "

"Are you aware of Bonnie?" He asked quietly before checking the stalls at my confused look."To kill Klaus? "

This time, I just rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms over my chest, giving Jer a look. "You may not remember it anymore, but I'm not particularly in the gang lately."

"Exactly! And that's why everything goes wrong."

"Uh ... excuse me?" I exclaimed in disbelief before signing myself in the offense. "How can I have any impact on the fact that you're afraid to defeat the threats hovering over our heads?"

"Mila." Jer muttered under his breath before shaking his head in frustration.

I watched him more carefully in silence before giving a slight sigh at the sight of his expression of utter helplessness.

He really seemed to be going through a difficult time and if there was anyone able to break my resolutions it was him. "Fine, tell me what's going on. "

So that was how I learned that Bonnie was actually recovering her powers. Jonas had given it to her before giving up, and during that time Damon had taken the opportunity to complete Elijah's initial plan. He had finally found that sacred place where all those witches had been murdered and he had taken Bonnie there to channel all their power. The plan was to kill Klaus the moment he would be the most vulnerable unfortunately it also meant that Bonnie was serious danger of death according to Jer. It seems that the witch was fully aware of it but still wanted to continue with this plan.

It was probably the biggest problem of the witches I had encountered so far. They always thought they were powerful enough to face dark forces. Bonnie in particular. The power made her arrogant and that would definitely not help the situation. How Bonnie's death could be less heartbreaking than Elena's. Her lack of judgment on the issue was beyond my reasoning at this point.

Only, I could see why Jeremy was in great distress. That was why I told him I was going to find my own way to prevent this from happening. He had not really had time to ask for more as I had fled the toilet at full speed before calling Felix in emergency. We did not have time to let things drag on. We had to remove the dagger from Elijah's heart before things degenerated for the worse.

Felix was already waiting for me in front of my SUV when I was coming out of high school with a determined step. I did not even recognize him as I unlocked the doors before getting behind the steering wheel forcing him to do the same on the passenger seat. He fastened his seatbelt as I made contact with pulling the tailgate looking through my rear windshield in concentration to avoid crashing a student. The tires squeaked against the asphalt as I whipped the steering wheel to line up on the road before turning on the top gear towards the boarding house.

I was reporting the situation to Felix on the way without losing a single second before wringing my lips in frustration.

It was completely out of control.

Worse still, I did not understand how Bonnie could think that her death was not worth as much as my sister's. What was so special about her to making everyone ready to give their life for her? I knew I sounded a bit like a bitch at the moment but I could not help but draw a Katherine card right now. Let's say she had a greater influence on me than I thought.

Anyway, I was not slow to slam my door with force by staring intently at the front of the boarding house as I waited for Felix. The latter hastened to join me just as ignorant as me of the presence of a familiar Mini-Cooper.

"What's the plan already? "

I gave an uncertain look at the brown since things had gone too fast to form a real plan before just shrugging my shoulders boldly. "We improvise."

"Reassuring." I heard Felix murmur with sarcasm as I took a step towards the house.

I opened the door on the fly with the intention of going directly to the basement only the presence of a certain group gathered in the parlor stopped me in my tracks. Felix hit me hard in the process letting me wince.

"Mila?" Elena exclaims with raised eyebrows in surprise and concern.

"Here, look at who finally decided to join the party." Damon said giving me an arrogant look."Let me guess, the big bad guy also asked you to play Cinderella? "

This time, I was deep in my brows on the vampire. "Huh?"

"You're not aware." Bonnie said anxiously. "Klaus was in high school today."

I froze in spite of myself just as Felix behind me, however, the sudden agreement of knocks against the door of the boarding house interrupted us. I took several steps in the center of the room as Ric made his entrance before turning my back on most of the room as I was trying to digest the news. I could feel the worried presence of Felix hovering by my side just as Damon asked Alaric to sign him up as a chaperone to the dance.

"Okay so we locate him and then what? What's the battle plan?" Elena asked, forcing me to turn around to listen to their little plan.

"Me." Bonnie declared at once, letting me cast a dark glance at the witch in indignation."I'm the plan. He has no idea of the mass of power I can handle. If you find him, I'll kill him."

Finally, the only voice of wisdom among this group of idealists became known. "It will not be as easy as you think. He's the most demonic vampire, right?"

"Thank you. Finally, someone with a brain." I finally exclaimed, signing the professor with a wave of my hand before turning to my sister."If you really think you can-"

I did not even have time to finish as Bonnie suddenly raised her hand to Damon before throwing him literally across the room as if nothing had happened. I jumped slightly as the vampire landed in one of the lounge tables before giving a skeptical look at the witch.

"Very impressive." Stefan commented only serving to make my eyes roll in annoyance.

"Yeah ... on a 145-year-old vampire baby." I commented in turn, accenting my tone on the age of the vampire before turning to Bonnie ignoring Damon's offended look. "Why do you think he's so feared in the supernatural community? This is certainly not because of his ability to put beads blindfolded!"

"And if you lowered pessimism a notch or two, little Gilbert." Damon intervened, straightening up, making me squeeze my jaw.  
Bonnie, on the other hand, hastened with pretense and naivety as she walked towards me with confidence. "It doesn't matter if he's an original. I would annihilate anyone who attacks me. I know I can kill him."

She supported my sister's gaze as she looked at her confidently as she nodded and smiled.

Conversely I shook my head in despair over the pretentious witch before agreeing in agreement with the intervention of Felix. "It's me or the power makes her lose the sense of realities."

"No, she is completely beside her head if she really thinks she can conquer an original all alone." I kept my eyes fixed on the witch as she looked at me anxiously during my statement before turning to Ric in the hope of getting his support. "You're the real adult here, try to make them see clear, please?"

"She seems pretty sure of herself." Ric declared as he signed Bonnie with a strange smirk, leaving me speechless.

I felt Felix lean over me visibly just as bewildered by the situation. "What do you think of it : _she was too arrogant for her good_ as inscription on her grave?"

This time, I gave a flat look at the brown to his morbid sarcasm before giving a frustrated look at Bonnie.

"I will not participate in your suicide." I said categorically before glancing at Felix in the meantime. "I'm leaving. Felix?"

"Oh, I'm coming." He declared in a hurry that show he definitely did not want to stay with the group.

I passed Alaric on the way feeling this strangeness as I crossed his eyes before suddenly stop at the suspicious call of Damon. "Not so fast Sami and Scooby!"

"What does he want, the leech?" Felix growled, obviously having a hard time controlling his sleeping wolf side.

I immediately put in my arm to stop him from doing something stupid at the sight of Damon's amused smile.

"Damon. "

"No, no, Elena. I think Damon has raised an interesting point." Stefan defended, turning to us."What were you doing here if Klaus didn't contact you? "

This time, the whole group turned to let me open my mouth before closing it in a word loss.

Thus, Felix took it upon himself to come with a hardly believable lie. "We have a project together. Mila said we could borrow one books of your collection."

"You're not even in the same grade."Point Bonnie in suspicion making me close my eyelids with a sigh.

Nevertheless, Felix did not seem to finish with his lie as he gave a disdainful look at the witch. "I never said it was a high school project. Anyway, Mila, are we going? "

I nodded, keeping eye contact with the group before turning on my heels with the intention of leaving the boarding house.

This was obviously not counting on the persistence of Damon as the latter suddenly appeared in our path with his eyes shrinking on Felix."You're seriously starting to get upset me."

However, Felix surprised everyone present as he stepped closer to the vampire to support his gaze."And what do you intend to do? Get rid of me like you did with most people in this city? With people of my kind?"

Damon at once looked at me in calm rage before supporting Felix's gaze again. "Don't test me, wolfie. My patience tends to run very thin with people of your kind."

"Damon, let them go." Intervened Alaric unsurprisingly as he came to stand beside the vampire with his eyes riveted on Felix with a confusing interest. "After all, we have more urgent problems. "

I did not know my presentiment as I took Felix's elbow between my hand before pulling him with me with the intention of getting him out of here as soon as possible.

It was only when we were in the safety of my car and away from the mansion that I gave an outraged look at the idiot by my side. "Can we know what you were playing? An accomplished werewolf is totally useless against Damon now. What did you think you were doing in your human form?"

"Sorry." Felix sighed, dipping deeper into his seat in confusion. " I don't know what happened to me. It's just…"

I gave a worried look at my closest friend before narrowing my lips in worry. "Your wolf side is becoming more and more unstable."

"Yeah." He agreed in a fatal tone before closing his eyelids, pressing his forehead against the transient window. "I hate that feeling, Mila. I've always been angry in this damn town but it's ... it's- "

"I know, Felix."

"No, YOU don't!" He barked suddenly, hitting his fist on the dashboard with all his strength.

I jumped almost missing a car as I looked at the small tooth made in the dash before putting my eyes wide on Felix in panic. The dark-haired seemed as flabbergasted as he looked at his trembling hands in disbelief before crossing his arms over his chest.

"Felix-"

"Don't." He murmured severely before turning his eyes to the melancholy landscape.

I turned my eyes to the road in turn knowing that he needed time for him before deciding to finish my little plan alone. It was not a good idea to include him in this world. He already had enough trouble not to have to manage my own extra. So I made a detour to drop him off before looking at him sympathetically as he greeted me with a wave of his hand while asking me to pick him up for dancing at eight o'clock.

* * *

Unfortunately, I was not going to dance. Just because I decided to release Elijah.

I pulled my black turtleneck along my chest toward my mirror full feet before giving a glance on my reflection. I then turned my attention to my shelf containing several elastic and other hair tools before standing up in front of my mirror to tie my hair in a high ponytail.

Once ready, I turned to my bed just to sit on it to put on my boots. I zipped the lock along my ankle before lacing the laces in a loop. I reproduced the same process on the other feet before getting up smoothing the folds of my sweater on my black leather pants.

The agreement of the ringing of my phone interrupted me leaving me to join my desk to recover it. I wrinkled my lips in guilt at the sight of Felix's messages asking me how I would get dressed for the dance before trying to turn off my screen. I rested my phone face down to lighten my guilty mind before moving my computer mouse to turn on my screen again. The latter opened directly on my mailbox and made me freeze on the spot. I watched the last message with a feeling of disbelief and deep sadness before slowly moving my hand to open it.

It was an email from MICEFA. An email of acceptance to be more precise.

I felt my breath cut off as I silently read the university's response to my application for an internship before feeling the moisture pouring in behind my eyes. I swallowed sniffing as I struggled to keep the tears from running before I sat up with my back facing my screen. I ran my fingers along my high cheekbones before taking a breath to calm myself down. I let my eyes rest on my jacket lying on top of my bed before taking it on my way. I quickly ran down the stairs, putting it on, clearly taking advantage of my family's absence before stopping in front of the door to collect my car keys. I closed the door behind me by turning off all the lights before nonchalantly walking towards my SUV.

It was amazing how I totally mastered pushing back my emotions. At that moment, it was almost as if everything was perfectly fine in my life. I did not even like someone who was behind everyone's back to wake up an old vampire more than a thousand years old. I was totally calm and collected as I climbed into my vehicle before backing up. I even caught myself tapping my fingers against the wheel in rhythm with the music.

The journey to the Salvatore was not particularly long for me since I almost knew the way by heart. A tiny part of me felt a bit guilty for going behind everyone but I just could not put more people in danger. Plus, I had never agreed to backstabbing Elijah to begin.

I intentionally ignored Felix's call before stopping in front of the boarding house.

However, the ringing of my phone rang again, causing me to barely glance at the screen with the intention of hanging up again. Only the view of Stefan's ID stopped me in my tracks.

I weighed the pros and cons before responding. "What? "

"Where are you, Mila? Felix is looking for you everywhere." Stefan asked at once, rolling my eyes in disbelief.

I left a scoffing wrinkle my lips before resuming my ascent to the mansion. "Felix came to see you. Whoa, I didn't see it coming."

"Mila, what are you preparing? This is not the moment, Klaus is at dance."

I paused at that as I put my eyes on the closed door before creasing my lips in determination."One more reason. I'm doing what I should have done from the beginning, Stefan."

I did not wait another minute as I hung up his call before pocketing my phone in the pocket of my jeans as I entered the mansion. I did not lose a minute as I was heading straight for the basement with a calm, determined step. I was not long in reaching the place where Stefan and Damon kept the blood bag freezer before stopping in front of it. I opened it with a grimace at the sight of plastic bags filled with a crimson liquid before taking two bags as a preventive measure. Then I went straight to the cells worthy of a dungeon where I knew that Damon kept the original.

Unsurprisingly, I found the original lying on the floor with a dagger sticking out of his heart. I narrowed my lips, tightening my hold on the blood bags between my palms before entering the cell. I put the bags at my side as I kneeled on the floor beside the vampire before putting my eyes on the dagger. I swallowed as I let my hand hover over the dagger before tightening my grip around the handle. I gave an uncertain look at the dissected face of the original before grimacing as I pulled on the dagger until I removed it completely.

I sat down on the floor, laying the dagger on the floor as I looked back at the vampire. I pulled the sleeve of my leather jacket to check the time on the watch around my wrist before pushing my arm to my side with a sigh.

It was going to take a while. I leaned on my hands scanning the cell in boredom before rethinking the dance in progress. I did not really know what was going on there but I could not stop this bad feeling along my veins. It was not really surprising since Klaus was at the dance.

However, it was not my priority now.

It was strange to think that. Actually, since the arrival of Elijah, I had totally changed my thinking and I suspected that it had something to do with Milana. Her memories influenced my judgment but was it so bad?

I knew it was crazy but my heart told me to trust Elijah and maybe even trust Klaus. I did not really know why for the latter since he wanted to hunt down my sister but I was not sure that I really wanted to know.

Elijah's sudden agreement of skin returning to normal interrupted my train of thought as I watched the vampire gasp in the resurrection before he literally began to turn on himself in agony.

I rushed at him to try to appease him in his brutal awakening only his eyes were wide in a panting breath. "Milana."

"No, no, I'm Mila. It's Mila, Elijah." I assured, signing my chest with my hand flat against my heart.

"Oh no! Oh my god, Milana! "

He suddenly fell back into unconsciousness, letting me wait for a moment longer, glancing cautiously over my shoulder before jumping again as he stood up abruptly as he ran out of air. I was totally helpless as he sprang to his feet at the speed of vampire before stopping at the door of the cell. He seemed unable to breathe as he widened his eyes at me, causing me to jump to my feet in panic.

"Elijah? "

I did not have time to get an answer as he was like projecting out of the crack and out of the mansion. I immediately collected the bags on the ground before launching into a race through the house in the realization. The mansion was no longer in Zach's name, so Elijah could not enter.

I was running straight out just to stop myself at the sight of the vampire narrowing his eyes of dark brown on my form. I took my breath in relief before swallowing, stretching the pockets of blood as an offer of peace.

Elijah looked down at my hands with a look of scorn before giving me a threatening look. "I can know how-"

"I'll explain everything to you." I interrupted quickly imploringly before giving an urgent look at my SUV. "But you must come with me so before the others came back."

"Why would I trust you?" Elijah replied sharply, making my lips crease.

I swallowed, lowering my hands to my side before giving a pitying look at the vampire."Because you know that I have always been on your side. Even when they dagger you, I stayed with the Martin while waiting for your return. Please, Elijah, Klaus is in town."

A look of realization fell on the vampire as he narrowed his eyes on me before putting his eyes thoughtfully on the floor."Since when? How long was I under the grip of the dagger? "

"Enough." I replied simply before getting his attention again. "Are you going to come with me now?"

Elijah narrows his eyes to me again before signing the pockets in my hands. "It will not be useful. "

I shook my head in hesitation before heading for my car expectantly. "Are you sure? "

I was surprised to see the vampire literally rolling his eyes before he pretended to join me with his outstretched hand. I gave him his pockets before climbing behind the wheel, feeling strangely abnormal as the vampire settled at my side. I tried to ignore the strangeness of the situation as I put the ignition on before quickly plunging into the dark woods.

During this time I tried to tell all the recent events to put the vampire on the page until we reached the house.

I was surprised by the familiarity and ease at my side as I opened our front door while giving a last look over my shoulder at the original."And I ended up removing the dagger."

"I see." He nodded as he graciously entered our lobby before turning me back to face him as he nonchalantly put a hand in the pocket of his burnt suit trousers. "And where is this dagger now?"

I looked sheepish at the mention of the dagger before grinning in my answer. "Probably still in the basement, I guess? But I'll get it back!"

"Do that, Mila, and I could consider your sister's actions a desperate act."

I shook my head in hope and relief before grinning with him as he glanced at his ruined clothes.

"I'm going to have to go back to the Lockwood mansion." He informed me calmly, obviously never out of his compound character. "We'll see each other again soon, Mila. "

With that, he opened the door before disappearing at the vampire speed literally leaving me in the lobby.

However, my attention was soon to be entertained away from the vampire as my phone vibrated in my pocket letting me pick up the call without even checking the ID.

* * *

That was how I discovered the whole course of the evening by Felix. The latter had been strangely included in tonight's events and more since he was now with Bonnie as a bodyguard. Or something like that.

In short, Klaus had tried to attack Bonnie. He had tried to kill her by taking the appearance of Alaric but by doing so he had fallen victim to a trickery. I had to admit that Bonnie was more prepared than I had thought at first since she had falsified her own death to deceive Klaus. That it explained a little better why Alaric had acted so strangely all day long.

However, that did not prevent me from feeling that much more anxious. After all, he had not made the least petty move at me. To tell the truth, he had contemplated me and even defended me with Felix in front of Damon. It did not help my bad feeling. A fact that I hastened to share with Felix before bouncing on his location. Now he was standing next to Jeremy and Bonnie in the witch's house.

I did not really know how to take the current situation but I knew that I needed to see Elijah again and make a new deal.

I sighed leaning against the desk in my room before putting my free hand on the top of my chair in concern. "Are you sure you want to be there?"

"Well, Jeremy is your twin and I know you care a lot about him." Recalled Felix letting me imagine him giving a glance at the duo accompanying him. "And the witch didn't try to sacrifice me so ... as long as your sister is not around, I'm cool. "

I let a slight smile on my lips as I shook my head crossing my ankles one over the other. "Be careful. "

"Always."

A comfortable silence settled between us as I just enjoyed hearing Felix's normal and steady breathing before surprising me with my next revelation. "I was accepted at MICEFA."

It was probably the worst time to talk about this kind of thing but I needed to tell it to someone at least. It was an achievement I would like to share before I die. After all, it was not every day that we got such a tempting and yet out of reach opportunity.

"Oh, Mila." Felix breathed in sympathy before quickly resuming with certainty. "You'll be able to go; do you hear me? I will do my best so that you can leave this awful city."

I let out a dubious breath before shaking my head taking advantage of his absence. "Let's not be stupid, Felix. It doesn't look good."

"Are you sure? Even after what you did tonight? "

"What did you do?"

I jumped at the impromptu entrance of the annoying vampire in my room before tightening my grip on my phone. "I must leave you, Felix. Damon is still in my room for one of his sessions. "

"Oh, don't forget to do a sexta-"

I hung up knowingly before rolling my eyes as Damon raised his suggestive eyebrows as he signed my phone. "I hate the kid but I have to admit he has a good idea."

"Spare me your pervert mind." I grumbled under my breath as I put my phone on my desk before narrowing my eyes at him suspiciously."You lied to Elena."

Damon immediately rolled his eyes as he lay on the top of my bed with his arms crossed behind his head. "Don't be hypocritical. You too have your own hidden agenda."

"Touché." I accepted fair-play, receiving a curious and bored look from the vampire. "Anyway, what are you doing here?"

"Well you've seen, since I was busy dealing with your sister's problems, I couldn't really think about why you were gone but now ..." The vampire stopped in front of me with his mesmerizing bluish orbs before letting his hands hover around my face. "... I wonder: what did you do tonight, little Gilbert?"

I deviated my eyes from his own in habit even if I wore my ring before taking a step back by narrowing my lips. "Don't do ... that, please."

"Do what? "

"You know what. " I sighed, pointing at him as I took a step back before crossing my arms over my chest, "You said you understood now. That you wouldn't do that kind of thing anymore."

"Maybe I changed my mind." The vampire replied, immediately raising my head with a frown as he elaborated his thoughts. "Despite having to continually save your sister's life lately, I had time to think."

"Whoa, you can think?"

"Don't interrupt me." Damon rekindled as I continued to gauge him in a bad feeling. "You're just going to listen to me for once, because what I have to say to you is very personal and quite confusing, even for me."

I narrowed my lips as I took another step back in the objection. I could already see where this conversation was going to lead us and I definitely did not want to put any real word on the last hints left hanging between us. I knew that my feelings for him were more biased than I let it appear and Damon also seemed to be split in his own feelings lately.

Unfortunately, I was certainly not ready to admit anything. And even less accepting to hear that kind of thing from the vampire. Most of his attraction to me was driven by greed, envy and jealousy with his younger brother. I had never been anything more than a price for him since the beginning. There was no way in hell that I accepted to believe he was suddenly changing his perception of me.

"Please, Damon, just leave." I asked suddenly interrupting the vampire.

The latter immediately raised his eyes a transcendent blue on my small form before moving towards me. However, he soon stopped as he saw my step back.

This time he just narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously. "You do not want to hear what I have to say."

I swallowed as I gave him a contrite look before standing up to support the intimidating look of the vampire. I knew he was sensitive about this kind of topic but I just could not keep walking on eggs around him. I had already accepted his volatile nature, it was time for me to stop behaving like Stefan around him.

"Because it would not help." I admitted, squeezing my arms around my trunk to force me to continue my train of thought. "You're confused, Damon, I'm probably the only one who has accepted you as you've been for a long time and I have to admit that my own intentions are also confusing but we both know what's happening to the end. You're madly in love with your little brother's girlfriend, I'm just a distraction, a game to bother Stefan a bit more and to avoid having to watch Stefan and Elena togeth-"

I did not even have time to finish my sentence as Damon suddenly caught my face in his hands before getting me close enough to him that I feel his warm breath on my face. I widened my eyes on the vampire as I waited for his next move in anticipation or apprehension, I was not sure. I could feel my cheeks warm up under his touch as I slid my eyes down his face until I caught myself staring at his rosy lips. I swallowed the feeling of my heart drumming against my ribcage before catching the vampire's stormy blue eyes again.

"Do you really want me to stop?" He asked, watching me carefully for an answer before stopping his gaze on my lips.

He brought his face closer to mine without letting me go, letting my eyelids shut in spite of myself.

However, I was not long in lowering my head in rejection. "No, Damon. Part of me doesn't want to. "

My admission seemed to give him a kind of electroshock as he slowly removed his hands from my face while measuring me in shock. It was the first time that I honestly and sincerely admitted that I felt something for the vampire. And I had a reason for that. I assumed I was going through some sort of list before I died and admitting my last and deepest feelings seemed like a good way to start.

"What did you just say? "

"You said it would be unfair to me." I remembered in the hope that he had enough of my self-human pathos to take into consideration my feelings. "Please, Damon."

"Mila-"

I recoiled again, raising my hands to prevent him from getting closer before giving him a final look. "You should leave. "

"Leave? Hell no!" Objected immediately the vampire before heading straight for me.

I found myself trapped against the wall leaving me to avoid embarrassment. He shook his head before grabbing my chin to hold me in place.

"Stop doing that." He choked in frustration before supporting my gaze. "You're the one who pushes me away. And for good reason, I admit it but you have no right to say that to me and push me back just after. You don't have to use the same spirit games as Katherine. I don't deserve that and you know it. "

This time, I let a real groan leave my lips in frustration before losing control again as I snapped his hand. "Katherine? Is it only the two names you have in your mouth? Katherine, Elena. Elena, Katherine. When will you accept that the doppelganger is playing with you? You may be smart when you want, but when it comes to love, you're a stupid puppet, Damon!"

"A stupid puppet?" Repeated the vampire in a placid tone visibly touched in his huge ego."And you say it's your sister playing with me."

"Fuck you, Damon! "

"Gladly." Barked the brown, waving his hands in indignation before abruptly advancing on me. "You know what, Mila? I was ready to pass you before Bonnie and Elena ... but ... you're right. Elena should be my only priority."

I would be lying if I said that his words had not touched me, I was just too proud to admit it.

Hence the reason why I let a bitter grin on my lips before holding his gaze affronted. "In this case, accede! I think she whistled you."

"You're exactly like her." The vampire slammed with a disdainful expression. "You are like Katherine. "

With that, the vampire took a few steps back before disappearing through my open window. I stood frozen for a moment before simply letting myself fall back into my desk chair in exhaustion.

* * *

 _ **Hey, guys !**_

 _ **It's been a while that I have not heard or rather read your news ... The closer you get to the end of this book, the more rare the reactions are ...**_

 _ **I don't really know if you still enjoy this story so it would be cool to give me a little wink if this story still pleases you at the time or if not, and possibly why ...**_

 _ **In any case, know that you are the source of my inspiration guys and knows that I will publish this story to the end whatever happens. As for the rest, it's up to you.**_

 _ **On that, until the next time my friends !**_


	42. Chapter 42 : Let you know

**Chapter forty-two : Let you know**

I took a breath as I looked at the Lockwood facade in anticipation of what was coming next. Nevertheless, I could not help but feel a slight sense of nostalgia at the idea of setting a foot in the huge building without Tyler. I really could not think of the werewolf with the latest events but I had to admit I was worried about him.

In any case, I knew that Felix was.

I finally went down to see Stefan's SUV coming up the aisle before slamming the door while watching Elena park next to me. I slid my hands into the back pockets of my jeans as I approached the driver's side of my sister before opening the door once she turned off the engine.

The latter went down in hesitation before looking at the Lockwood mansion in uncertainty."Are you sure it was a good idea? "

"Are you willing to see Bonnie's lifeless body again?" I replied darkly instead receiving a contrite glance from Elena.

The latter nodded in realization before following me as I headed for the entrance to the mansion.

Unsurprisingly, Elijah opened the door in his usual calm and composed manner before placing her eyes on Elena with his outstretched hand. "If you will constrain yourself. I'm not particularly excited to see the Salvatore brothers here."

"Mila? "

I gave Elena a quick look to force her to do as he asked before showing me in good faith as I also gave him my phone. He put these two in the pocket of his suit before shifting the entrance to let us in. I entered the first before heading to the salon by mere habit. I sat on the luxurious sofa leaving Elena looking at me in disbelief at how I behaved.

"What?" I silently mouthed my lips before rolling my eyes as Elijah entered the room with a slight smirk for my benefit.

The latter took a seat on one of the chairs closest to me before making another sign to Elena to take place.

The latter hastened to join my side in apprehension as Elijah turned to her again. "First, I want to clarify that I will cooperate with you only for the good of Mila."

"Clear and transparent cooperation?" Elena insisted, giving me a side look in concern.

"Clear and transparent." He accepted before taking the cup of tea on the bedside table between his fingers. "You must first know that I know Klaus well. Body possession is one of his favorite tricks."

A sense of déjà vu crossed my mind as I narrowed my lips giving a look at Elijah. "You were friends. "

"I guess it's your dreams that brought you to this track." Elijah nodded, suddenly signing my ring making me frown on my index finger."She belonged to Milana."

"Milana?" Elena breathed, glancing at the vampire and me before finally turning to Elijah."Who is she?"

Elijah arched an eyebrow in my direction at my lack of sharing before giving a kind smile to my sister. "She's the ancestor of your sister. It's part of a bigger story. But for now, I need to know what happened to Katerina. "

"Klaus took her off." Elena answered while I was still somewhat frustrated by the lack of response to my subject. "We think she's already dead by now."

"Oh, that I doubt it very much." Elijah smiled making me frown at the almost relieved feeling in my chest. "It's not his style. Death would be a far too sweet punishment for what she did."

I could not believe that I could feel like that about the bitch. Although it could be easily explained since I had shared things with Katherine that I had never even thought of sharing with my own sister.

Speaking of the latter, she let her confusion again in the open air. "I have trouble grasping. You say you want to get rid of Klaus. And yet you think she must pay for betraying him."

"I have my own reasons for wanting her to pay." Elijah replied darkly, leaving his anger in the open air before suddenly taking on a nostalgic air. "There was a time when I would have done anything for Klaus. "

I remained prostrate as the realization flowed in my mind before quickly resumed unlike Elena who gauged Elijah in disbelief."Yes, Klaus's my brother."

"I heard but I ... I have a hard time measuring the consequenc-"

"Yes. Well, there is a small gap but ... it seems to me that the expression you would have to say is OMG."

I let a little smirk adore my lips showing how much this news did not reach me as much as it should before feeling Elijah's eyes on me.

The latter raised an eyebrow over his cup of tea before laying it, keeping his eyes on me. "To tell you the truth, my whole family and I are original. Just like the ancestor of Mila. Well, she was not a vampire but-"

"She was one of the first werewolf."I gasped in memory of my conversation with Jonas.

Elijah nodded with a smile as Elena turned to me literally gaping.

However, I did not know her completely as I was now frowning at Elijah. "But Jonas told me that she was a witch before anything else."

"She was both." Elijah nodded, getting up from his seat to straighten his collar in the nearest mirror. "My father owned many lands in a village in Eastern Europe. My mother, she had given birth to seven children."

"Whoa ..."

Elena ignored my exclamation as she rose in her turn. "But then your parents were human? "

"The whole family was." Elijah replied, letting me raise an unimpressed eyebrow after the image of three men beside the vampire in front of me resurfaced in my mind.

I arched an eyebrow in return before nodding, talking on the edge of my own cup."And especially very stupid."

The duo turned to me leaving me freeze under their eyes and more particularly under the slightly offended of Elijah.

"Sorry ... it's just that I had this dream where you and ... your brothers I guess were trying to compete with werewolves."

Elijah seemed literally surprised at the understanding of this information as he tilted his head to the side with a frown. "You dreamed of Roman."

"Yup. "

At my affirmation, the vampire suddenly moved across the room before suddenly turning on the couch by my side with my hand between his fingers. His attention was mostly focused on the ring adorning my forefinger as I gave a puzzled look between the original and Elena.

The latter seemed to have contracted considerably with the original with me as she advanced slowly."What are you doing to her?"

In response, Elijah immediately raised his hand to stop her with his eyes still on the ring. He was almost looking at it with a sense of nostalgia.

"Uh ... if you try to compel me-"

"I gave this ring to Milana on our wedding day." He interrupted as he passed his thumb over the bluish white stone. "An adularia or more commonly known as a moon stone. Klaus was the only one to find the stone during one of his excursions. I had lost my first wife during childbirth. The fertility properties of this stone made sense at the time."

Elena and I were gauging the vampire with big eyes wide to this new information somewhat disturbing in my case. I thought Katerina was Elijah's love. I was not sure I understood everything right now.

"Mila is her double." Elena whispered in a mistaken presumption.

A fact that Elijah hastily contradicted by shaking his head with a smirk. "I'm sure you know what a soul separation is?"

"Like Harry Potter? "

Elijah gave me a flat look at my poor comparison before nodding reluctantly. "Although I would have liked a better reference, that's what I'm talking about."

"You mean that Milana's soul is in this ring? And therefore, she gives strange dreams to my sister?"

Elijah looked up from the ring, resting my hand next to me, then smirked at Elena. "That wouldn't explain the resemblance. "

"So, what?" I asked in impatience as I gauged the expectant vampire. "Not that I don't like the history class but I'm waiting a little bit to discover what I've been for so many months..."

"Well, to match your comparison, you're the horcrux, Mila." Elijah explained, literally leaving me speechless as he straightened up with a smile at my shocked expression. "As for dreams, I'm sure they started when you started wearing this ring. I'm right?"

I nodded visibly still too shocked to form a coherent sentence before giving Elena a look as she shook her head in confusion. "Is not it the same as a reincarnation?"

"God, no, Elena! Her soul lives in me." I exclaimed with a slightly arrogant tone before making a sudden grimace in the realization. "Ew! I think I have a double personality."

To our surprise, Elijah let out a laugh before giving me a fond look. "I'm sorry I wasn't the husband you needed. My brother was the one who should have married you."

This time, I lost the little smile I had on my lips as I leaped to my feet in disbelief. "Wait! Don't tell me the man I dreamed of-"

"That's Klaus. My brother." Elijah quickly acquiesced before turning to Elena. "So, you have to understand that if Milana were part of the first generation of witches and werewolves. My family and I are the oldest vampires to walk on this land. We are the original family. The first. The one that all other vampires come from. "

"Klaus is your brother but ..."

"You want to see him die?" I finished for my sister dubiously. "I mean, there's no problem, everyone has their fraternal problems to manage, look at Elena and me."

I did not know Elena's frown on my side as I focused more on Elijah. The latter seemed to have frozen under my question let me realize that my next comment had gone unnoticed by the vampire. Elijah paused before announcing that he wanted to get some fresh air while heading towards me. I gave an uncertain look as he held out his waiting arm before just shrugging my shoulders and putting my hand on his arm as he led me to the exit.

Elena tried to follow us with a clearly fascinated air about my ancestor it would seem. "How did my sister end up with Milana's soul?"

"A long time ago, the witch who took charge of Milana cast a protective spell on her. She had seen the danger coming into contact with our family." Elijah explained as he walked down the steps leading to the Lockwood's flower garden. "That and the fact that she started her curse. Becoming a wolf, she was supposed to lose all her powers. "

"But that's not what happened. "

"Indeed." He nodded, giving me a side look before continuing absently. "As you have seen, nothing can kill an original. Neither the sun, nor the fire, nor even a werewolf bite. Only the wood of this old white oak can kill us but my family burned it."

"It's beyond that come ashes use on the dagger, I guess. "

"Exact." I frowned as I tried to direct the information before resting my eyes on Elijah's intervention. "The witches didn't want immortal beings on this planet. So, each creature's weakness and balance remain."

I shook my head this time in confusion before removing my hand Elijah immediately drawing his attention. It was way too much information. And again, I felt like we had just started. Not to mention that a question remained unresolved for me.

"How is it that Milana was both?"

"Just like this great story of Aztec curse, isn't it?" Elijah immediately thought, turning to us with a slight mischievous tone. "The moon and the sun. A very Biblical name. And totally false. "

"I don't understand. The curse is false?" Elena asked at once, clutching her arms against her chest to barricade herself with a light wind. " But why?"

"If Milana's nature taught us anything, it was that both species were ready to do anything to recover their dues." Elijah explained seriously. "So, we invented this story to use the two species, vampire and werewolf, in search of the double and the lost stone."

"And so the Aztecs have nothing to do with it."

I rolled my eyes to Elena's more than obvious realization before giving Elijah a look into curiosity. "If this prophecy is a lie then why invent it?"

"Because there is a curse." Elijah said as we were walking around the lake now. "A lot worse. A curse that your ancestor participated despite her, Mila. It only concerns Klaus."

I tried to ignore the annoying buzz of our two phones from Elijah's pocket unlike the vampire.

The latter retrieved our phones to give it to us. "I'm afraid these phones don't want to stop this unhappy buzz. Please answer."

"Elena, take it." I replied simply shrugging my shoulders, receiving an incredulous look from Elena at once as Elijah cut the call from my phone before putting it back in his pocket.

I watched Elena answer a call from Stefan before she hung up on alert. "Klaus went after Jenna. I have to go."

I let a long sigh swivel on my heels as I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance. She was not supposed to come back so soon. She was not even supposed to come back until the ritual was done. She should not be involved in all this.

"We had a program that I intend to respect."

"This is my family so I'm sorry but I'm going!"

I rolled my eyes at the unnecessarily threatening tone of my sister before intervening by pushing her back with my arm. "Jenna is already aware of everything. She must be a little shake but she can cash it. Go ahead, I'll stay."

"What? But-"

"Elena, go!" I breathed in impatience before observing a worthy exchange between Damon and Elena between Elijah and Elena.

I watched for a moment the back of my sister's back before sending out my thoughts aloud with a slight hint of jealousy in my tone. "You loved Katerina."

"The person she reminded me of instead." Elijah objected, still watching my back since I avoided his gaze. "Her name was Tatia. She's also the reason why I couldn't be a good husband for Milana."

I wrinkled my lips in irony before crossing my arms over my chest as I turned around."Petrova's charm. Irresistible. "

"Would it be presumptuous to detect bitterness in your tone?" Elijah asked suddenly making me blush in spite of myself.

I awkwardly cleared my throat pulling a lock of hair flying in my face before keeping my gaze on the lake. "If it's, it's only because Milana lives in me."

I could easily see the fun on the vampire's face as he looked away licking his lips."Milana didn't love me. At least not as much as she liked Klaus."

"What?" I exclaimed with wide eyes of disbelief. "She ... how is this possible? No, I mean I know how it happens but ... why him?"

"When he was human, Klaus was different." Elijah reminded me as he motioned for me to continue walking with him. "The actions of my mother and our family have made him say ... colder, bloodthirsty and horribly paranoid. "

"All the traits a girl is looking for I'm sure of."

A smirk appeared on his lips as he gave me a side look before glancing at us. "Klaus has never loved anyone so much as he loved Milana. He was ravaged when Father decided on our wedding."

"And Milana?" I asked curiously.

"She wanted to marry none of us." He announced, lowering his eyes on his shoes. "She was more concerned about her own problems. So much that she intended to flee. Only our marriage kept her in our village and she died of it."

I widened my eyes this time as I saw the dark expression crossing his face before swallowing into morbid curiosity. "How-"

"Is she dead?" The vampire guessed with an arched eyebrow before he looked away in guilt. "We were a very close family. Apart from some friction between my father and Klaus. But by becoming a vampire, we learned the truth. Klaus was not my father's son. For a few years my mother had been unfaithful to him. It was their big secret. Klaus was not of the same lineage."

"Whoa, that kind of problem already existed at the time." I said with a look of meaning as Elijah stopped in front of a stone bench before beckoning me to sit down.

I did exactly that before watching him do the same in curiosity. "When my father heard about it, he chased and killed my poor mother's lover and all his family. Without realizing that because of this, it would trigger a war between two species that is still raging today."

I breathed in disbelief before running my eyes on my hands resting on my thighs. "He's also a hybrid. Like Milana."

"That's it." He recognized in a calm tone despite the bomb he had dropped on me before giving me a knowing look. "You understand that because of that, they were both very dangerous. Milana was already hunted by her own species while the witches ensured that Klaus' werewolf side stayed dormant. For that, they decided to sacrifice their biggest mistake of nature."

"Milana."

"The Petrova blood was taken from Tatia while the Moon stone was activated with the spirit of Milana."

I frowned on the original in confusion this time. " The spirit?"

"The witches locked her mind in the stone before breaking it. There remained only one fragment while the others were completely destroyed. Trapping her forever."

I remained literally speechless listening to the sad fate of my ancestor before lowering my eyes sympathetically on my hands. Now that I knew all that, I felt almost guilty of cursing Milana for those dreams. It was probably the only thing left of her. She deserved to be called back.

"But if Klaus defeats the curse..."

"He will be able to generate his own lineage. Clearly, a new breed." Said Elijah quickly in gravity. "Which wouldn't only threaten vampires but ... everyone."

I frowned as a thought struck me before giving a glance at Elijah. "If Milana's spirit is locked in that stone and I already have the other fragment, then ..."

I put my eyes on the ring currently adorning my finger still asking me how it could have passed in the lineage of Gilbert before resting my expectant eyes on Elijah.

This last one left a thoughtful air having obviously not to bring a great attention it would seem before suddenly giving me a look almost passionate."Then Milana's spirit was in danger of being released."

"Please, tell me that I'm not going to have a double that will tread this land."

Elijah immediately shook his head, ignoring my attempt at a joke to soothe the atmosphere as he suddenly took my hands in haste."You don't understand, Mila. Elena must not be the only one to be protected from this ritual. I thought first to use you to kill Klaus but if I'm right and Milana's spirit is well liberated then ..."

"So? "

"The locked part of Milana will live in you. And we know how much Milana's spirit has already affected you. If she ever comes to take possession of you, you will be a mere voice inside your head while she's in full control."

I widened my eyes in a frightening feeling of terror now before giving Elijah a look in anxiety. "And I suppose there is absolutely nothing that can prevent that. "

"I'm really afraid of it." Elijah sighed sadly with a sheepish look in my direction. "Since your existence was unknown to me, I was never able to look into it. I'm sorry, Mila. "

I lowered my eyes to the ground as I could suddenly feel a desire to cry. Tears flowed behind my eyes forcing me to squint my lips to keep them at bay.

I cleared my throat to get rid of the emotion in my voice before turning to Elijah, putting my hand on his arm. "There is nothing you could do, Elijah. "

"Still I feel like I've failed you."

"Do you think Klaus knows? For me, I mean."

Elijah raised his contrite eyes before licking his lips as he focused his eyes away. "Klaus had to do some research the very moment he heard about your existence. There is very little that he could have worried about but Milana, even though I still doubt his humanity, remains the being of whom he really cared even after her death. He will absolutely want to free her."

I gave him a more daring look this time before leaning my head to the side. I could still feel the hint of affection in his voice. He remained his brother after all and I knew that more than a thousand years of fraternity could not be untied as well. Hell, Elena was not even my real sister and I knew I could not hate her. Not entirely at least. I honestly doubted he wanted to kill him. And to be honest, I was sure that with the new information that Milana would be against this idea.

Unfortunately, I was not her and I could not let a new species rise in the food chain.

"Why do you want to kill him?"

Elijah suddenly took a distant look before shaking his head back into the present. "You have to know that the real reason why Klaus wants to break the curse is his obsession with not finishing alone. He's extremely paranoid as I said rather. And I fear that our father's abuse has only influenced the creature he is today. Over the centuries, he ended up finding that same disappointment in our own family. He used daggers on my brothers and sisters."

"You stayed with him. Even after that?"

Elijah ignored my incredulous gaze before shrugging his shoulders. "I thought he was keeping them aside as a punishment. But it turns out that he ended up getting rid of the coffins in which they contained them. This was the moment when I realized that some things can't be repaired."

This time, I gave an almost angry look at the vampire as I leapt on my feet in disbelief. "That was the reason you stayed with him? To fix him? Oh, good Lord! When will you understand that we can't repair someone? These are not toys for God's sake."

"You seem to react passionately, Miss. Gilbert."

I winced at the agreement of his use of my family name so foreign to the vampire before giving him a side glance as I lowered my tone in frustration. " I have the same problem. In a way."

I took a moment to regain my senses from Damon before returning to Elijah impatiently.

I crossed my arms over my chest with an arched eyebrow in defiance. "Are you sure you can kill him?"

"Absolutely. He destroyed my family." Elijah agreed in a final tone making me crease my lips with a sigh.

I lost my arms from my chest as I headed for the lake before watching it for a moment in silence.

I was not slow to hear Elijah's footsteps approaching as he stopped by my side with his hands in the pockets of his suit trousers. "The doubles have always managed to interfere between the brothers. Let's call it the Petrova charm. But Milana was anything but. She was full of dreams and hope. She wanted to live and discover the world. This life has never pleased her. She was the reason why Klaus endured the harshness of life all these years. Once he lost his wolf side and the love of his life, he became the real monster that the legends portray."

"He knows I'm not the one he lost?"I asked flatly as I tried to digest the implication of his words.

Elijah kept his gaze on the lake as he tilted his head slightly. "He must know it. But the resemblance is so blatant ..."

"You never really liked her?" I resumed in a hint of confidence as I turned to him.

Elijah gave a hint of a smile before turning to me. "It wasn't my right."

"Your ... your right?" I murmured in confusion before suddenly hearing my phone in Elijah's jacket.

The vampire raised an eyebrow as he picked up the phone before handing it to me in question."Are you going to take the call this time? "

I swallowed as I took the device in his hands before responding to the sight of Jenna's ID."Hey, Jen-"

"I need you to come to the Salvatore's house. Now, Mila."

I gave Elijah a look by putting a strand of hair behind my ear before giving him a grateful look as he nodded his acceptance. I was not waiting for another minute to turn on my heels before telling Jenna that I was on my way.

* * *

After an afternoon like that, I needed a distraction. I headed straight for the entrance to the Salvatore house once in front of the boarding house before stopping in the lobby. I glanced at the door where Jenna was now before heading back to the door. I hit three knocks by announcing my presence just to get shot in the room as soon as Jenna opened the door.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of explanation and reassuring words, Jenna seemed ready to return to campus. She was just going to spend the night here before returning to campus tomorrow morning. It was the best for now. I was just hoping she would not change her mind during the night.

Hence the reason why, I watched her closely since her breakup. She had fallen asleep allowing me to watch her on one of the chairs with a book in my hand.

To be honest, I did not really care about the book in my hands. I was more concerned about the revelations I discovered today. I was somewhere forever linked to my ancestor while Klaus and Elijah had been my former lovers. Or at least, the lovers of Milana. Milana was a hybrid hunted by her pack of werewolf before dying at the hands of witches. She was one of the reasons Klaus was after my sister.

I suddenly put the book on my legs lying on the armrest of the chair before throwing my head against the back with a tired sigh. I looked up at the ceiling in thought before I suddenly jumped at the agreement with a familiar cry. I was already planning the worst as I gave Jenna a look before putting the book on the table beside me. I climbed out of the chair before venturing outside the room to the library.

Not surprisingly, I found Stefan and Damon in a sort of confrontation before seeing Elena alongside Elijah. I just had time to hear Damon's curse in the direction of the trio before he spun on his heels to get out.

Only he suddenly stopped at my sight. His expression, already darkened by the presence of Elijah, grew louder in my sight. He shook his head, clenching his jaw before disappearing from the library.

I gave a look at the trio with a contrite mine before blowing as I turned around. I traced Damon's path back to his room just to hear typical female cries. I immediately rushed to the room at a run to simply hold me in the entrance with wide eyes in front of me. Andie Star, half-naked near the fireplace with a bloody neck and Damon gliding guiltily near her.

I did not think anymore as I rushed into the room catching the odd of the journalist before stopping alongside Andie to cover her ignoring the look of the vampire. "Andie! Hey, Andie, look at me! Look at me! Here, it's okay. There, get up."

I helped her stand on her high heels before escorting her to the door. I watched her get dressed in dread in the hallway before taking a deep breath as I turned around.

I spotted the fleeing back of the vampire in his bathroom open to his room, letting my fists close at my side as I took a step in that direction. "Have you completely cracked yet? Is your humanity still troubling you?"

"Go away, Mila!" The vampire grumbled as he unceremoniously withdrew his shirt before throwing it into a ball on the floor in silent rage.

I weighed the pros and cons to leave him before shaking my head as I strode in his direction. I struggled against my own ideas as I grabbed his chin hard before turning him to support his almost crystalline blue eyes under tears. I gave a critical look at the blood dripping from his lips before surprising him as I took a towel to wipe him off. I held his gaze throughout the action before letting my hand fall to my side once the traces of his erratic behavior were erased.

"You still made a mess." I announced in a usual tone of voice before leaning on a hand against the marble island like Damon seemed unable to look away."What was the reason this time? Elena? The ritual? Elij-"

"You. It all started because of you." He answered coldly as he gauged my reaction with his jaw clenched.

I swallowed under his intense gaze before taking a step back with a contrite air. "I will not give in, Damon. You must learn not to have everything you want."

"Why?" He asked in a small voice as I made my way to the door.

I stopped in my steps keeping my back for the vampire.

I raised my eyes to the ceiling, creasing my lips before turning on my heels. "Because if I'm lucky enough to survive this ritual then I'll leave this city and all that damn supernatural world. I never expected to act on my feelings, Damon. And I wouldn't do it."


	43. Chapter 43 : Ritual

**Chapter forty-three : Ritual**

"It's the full moon tonight. We must expect Klaus to break the curse."

I raised my eyes briefly from my book on Elijah before returning my eyes to my pages in an attempt to distract me. I did not really want to spend my last plausible hours plotting.

It was finally the day. The day my sister and I meet the famous monster haunting us for several months already. I simply could not convince myself to act as if we still had a chance. Not in the eyes of the revelations of Elijah.

No, at that moment, I chose to rely solely on Elijah. He had a way to save Elena and Bonnie would do the rest. I did not really know where he was going to find a vampire and a werewolf, but I was pretty sure Klaus was going to do it himself. Tyler was out of town and the full moon was too close for Felix to be a good replacement. As for the vampire, he had Katherine. It would be kind of ironic if he used Katherine in the ritual after all. She had spent all her immortality fleeing and now she would perish because of the exact reason she had changed.  
Did I feel bad for the vampire? Yes, I was not afraid to admit it.

In fact, I decided to do exactly what I liked today. I had responded positively to the mail of the MICEFA, I had even planned to spend the PSAT later in the day.

"Elena told me that the Aztec prophecy was invented from scratch." Stefan interjected. "That the real curse was only on Klaus. And ... Mila too, it would seem."

I raised my outraged eyes from my book just to meet Stefan's anxious gaze before shifting my attention to the two remaining accusingly."Did you tell him?"

I tried my best not to shoot my sister at the moment as she straightened arrogantly as if it were an important fact to know my involvement in the ritual. It was not going to change much, let alone if Stefan continued with that famous look of pity for me.

"Klaus is a vampire from a werewolf line. The spell prevents the werewolf inside him from expressing himself, but if he ever manages to break it ... he will become a hybrid." Elijah calmly repeated his explanation before turning to me with an arched eyebrow. "As for Mila, breaking the curse will mean freeing Milana's spirit. She will reside forever in Mila. Maybe even to take complete control. And I have unfortunately no cure for that."

The footstep sounded, letting me look away from Elena's suddenly shocked expression before watching Damon approach bitterly. "So why are we letting him go all the way? We could kill him today. Thanks to Bonnie."

"Damon ..."

"She can't handle so much power without the risk of dying. "

"And then, I would write her a beautiful eulogy. "

"Because everyone knows how well you manage the funerals." I murmured distractedly under my breath with sarcasm.

The vampire instantly chirped under the suspicious eyes of the rest of the group before answering in a doused tone."Mhm ... and I'm about to slam your neck."

"So predictable." I chanted, turning a page of my book with attitude.

"Look at you, we could almost believe you're not scared."

"Damon!" Elena exclaims in a shocked voice that almost makes me want to roll my eyes if I was not fucking irritated by the vampire at this moment.

I froze at his jab, tightening my grip on my book before lifting my eyes from my page to cast a dark look on the vampire. "I hope that Milana will make you live a living hell when I give her my place."

Obviously, the prospect of my disappearance froze the vampire in a return worthy of the name.

The tension in the room was palpable as Elena gasped, giving me an incredulous look. "You don't think what you're saying."

"On the contrary, I think Mila is resolute." Intervene Elijah letting me move my sister's attention to the old vampire with a slight failure in my nonchalance mask.

For a moment I held his amber-brown eyes before swallowing with emotion as I looked back at my book. It was useless to discuss further anyway. The curse needed to be broken to kill Klaus. Milana was going to be released one way or another. I just did not have a say in this story.

I immediately turned my eyes away from the trio in a fight knowing that it was useless before turning my attention to my book. I could perfectly feel the attentive eyes of Elijah on my form as I turned a new page with a peaceful expression. I had come to make peace with myself last night. I preferred to take advantage of myself when I still had the opportunity. After all, I was in danger of disappearing into a corner of my head in the hours to follow. I could just as well fulfill my last wishes before disappearing.

I suddenly dropped a hum in my reading before talking over my book to the sensation of eyes on my profile. "Spoiler alert, Boo Radley is the one who killed Bob Ewell."

And just like that, the book was suddenly torn from my hands, leaving me looking annoyed as Damon threw it violently across the room.

I watched the vampire's mess with a frown before turning to Elijah boldly. "So, how is this curse broken? "

"The ritual itself is relatively simple." Elijah explained, giving me a side look before joining me. "As for the ingredients, if I can put it that way, you know them."

"The moonstone."

"And Mila." Elijah said, giving me a worried look. "A witch will use the energy of the full moon to release the spell as well as the spirit of Milana who is stuck in the stone. Next, Klaus, who will be both a werewolf and a vampire, will sacrifice a representative of each species."

"And when do I arrive?"

"At the end of the ritual." Elijah answered, getting up to retrieve an old box with a distant look. "Klaus must drink the blood of double Petrova to the last drop."

I gave an anxious look at my sister completely ignorant of a certain vampire focusing all his attention on me.

"And that's where you come in."

I turned my gaze on Elijah as he opened the lid of the antique box before getting up in curiosity. I stopped at his side before giving a look at Elijah to grab the vial inside.

He waved to me, letting me inspect it as he turned to the rest of the group. "This is an elixir that I acquired five hundred years ago for Katerina. This preparation gives the person who drinks it a power of resurrection. "

"So, I'm going to die-"

"And come back to life. "

I tilted my head with a grimace as I rested the vial in the hands of Elijah before giving a flat look at Damon's intervention. "And that's your plan? Not only that doesn't prevent the possession of Mila by your old love but you will also rely on a magic potion with no expiration date."

"The moonstone has been around for over a thousand years." I recollected in a placid tone receiving a vampire murderous look as I thoughtfully watched the ring on my finger. "And believe me, it works."

In just a moment, Damon was in my face as he grabbed my shoulders to shake me. "So that's it? You're going to let yourself be possessed by some demon of the past? After all these talk about your wishes and desires? You're just going to give up? "

"Elena will live." I answered simply after a long silence.

Damon gauged me with a clear expression of disbelief and indignation before I stepped back, letting me go with an expression of defeat.

He turned to Elena with disdain. "What do we do if his plan fails?"

"Well, you'll only have to bury me."

"Uh ... what? "

I gave a look at the remaining trio as Damon left the room before raising my hands. "Well, I have a diploma to get so ..."

"Uh ... sorry, what? "

I stopped in my ascension at the call of my sister before giving her a single look over my shoulder. "Right, you don't know. They offered me to take the exams this year. Jenna signed the authorization last night. With a little luck, I'll disappear like a half-graduate. "

I did not give any of them the opportunity to reply as I passed the opening of the parlor before suddenly stopping at the sight of Jenna shouting with a crossbow point on Ric.

"Jenna puts this crossbow, it's me!"

Jenna immediately grabbed my wrist to keep me close to her before shaking her head on Ric"Stay away from us! "

" What is this madness!" Elena stepped in as she stepped alongside Stefan and Damon.

"It's me, Elena, I swear! He let me go. Klaus let me go. "

"Prove it!"

I caught an eyebrow as Alaric gave Damon a look before he nodded at Jenna. "The first night we spent together, Jeremy showed up when-"

"It's good, it's good!"

I gave Jenna a slightly amused look before releasing me from her hold to get my backpack lying against the entrance under the confused eyes of the rest of the group.

I threw the strap of my bag on my way to open the door before glancing over my shoulder on the rest. "Well, wish me good luck!"

"Mila, wait!" Alaric interrupted me, preventing me from taking another step as I turned on my heels in impatience. "Klaus has a message for you. He wanted me to tell you that the ritual will take place tonight. "

My gaze immediately fell on Elena as the brunette already had her anxious eyes riveted on me allowing me to hold my breath.

However, the sudden ringing of my phone broke the tense atmosphere letting me quickly get it back into my jeans pocket. I was looking at Felix's ID flashing on my screen before turning my eyes to the rest of the hall occupants.

I shook my head one last time clearly decided not to spend my last moments plotting before taking a step outside answering the phone."Felix, what's up?"

"Mila, we have a problem. Carol Lockwood had an accident in her home." Exclaimed Felix suddenly making me frown as I opened the door to get into my SUV.

I clung to my phone with my hand and wedged it between my ear and shoulder as I turned the key. "Not to look egocentric but I think we have bigger problems right now, Felix."

"Mila, you don't understand! And if Tyler, come back! "

I paused by taking my foot off the accelerator before swallowing in a state of conflict. I was looking through my windshield looking for the solution to most of my problems before leaving a frustrated grimace as I picked up my phone.

I was running back with the other one available before I started on the road. "I'm going to see Carol Lockwood. Stay with Bonnie."

I hung up by throwing my phone into the passenger seat before pressing the accelerator. I assumed I would be late for my exam session.

I checked the last question of my exam with a deep sense of purpose before lifting my eyes on the teacher watching us. Mrs. Bridge had never been one of my teachers, but I knew her well enough by her reputation. I gave a look at my copy before putting my pencil on the desk. I retrieved my copy before getting up ignoring the staring glances in my path. After all, I was the only student of a lower grade and yet I finished above all else.

I signed the sheet of registration by returning my copy before recovering my bag by the strap. I threw the strap on my shoulder as I left before deciding to check the latest news in the fucking world of the supernatural. I turned on my phone and stopped at one of the nearest lockers just to feel my heart fall into my chest as I read the latest messages.

I could feel my eyes sting as tears forced behind my eyeballs. I tried to control the trembling of my hands as my vision became blurred before running my hand through my hair.

Damon ... Damon fed Elena with his blood. He had ... because of that, the potion was now unusable.

I looked up at the empty hallway before pushing myself sharply from the rack on which I leaned to rush to the nearest toilet. I closed the door behind me before going into one of the stalls by slamming the door. Just then, I slid along the door as I finally let the tears run down my cheeks.

Until now I had rejected the possibility of losing my sister. I even continued to live in denial to avoid facing what was waiting for me. I had just made a blind trust in the elixir. It was the only way to save my sister. I would never have thought of vampirism. Elena had never wanted that and she had always been clear about it. I still remembered when she and I were in better terms. When our parents were still alive and I was not struggling with mine every damned day. Where I could not wait to leave this city for the big life in the metropolis, Elena had told me about her desire to raise her children in town. Her desire to grow old with a man she loved deeply in our family home. But now it was not even an option for her anymore. She could stay a while in Mystic Falls before locals began to question her lack of aging.  
That's why I wanted so much to rid this city of vampire.

As if Caroline was not enough now my sister. At this thought, the sadness and helplessness I felt soon turned into pure hatred of Damon. I had accepted my own fate to save Elena. I was ready to let myself be absorbed by my ancestor to save my sister.

Was not it enough? How could he take my sister's choice after paying Stefan more than 145 years of misery.

The reason was that Damon was a damn selfish who thought only of himself. And he deserved to be staked for what he had done.

Even if that meant it was my last act as me.

Not surprisingly, I found the culprit sitting at the bar of the Grill.

I did not know most of the occupants of the restaurant as I was tightening my grip on the stake inside the large pocket on the front of my hoodie. I narrowed my eyes furiously on the back of the vampire's head before moving forward with a quick, determined step. I did not even know Matt as he tried to call me on my way to the bar.

I climbed on the free stool next to the vampire with a marble expression. I could immediately feel the anxious eyes of Alaric on my profile unlike the vampire as he kept his eyes on the contents of his glass of bourbon. "I was wondering when you would come screaming at me. Know that it will not change anything. I did what I had to do since you were plunged to the neck in your little world of denial. I'm not sorry and I would do exactly the same thing if it meant that keeping Elena alive would make sense of your completely stupid little sacrifice."

"I should kill you for what you did." I said darkly as I tightened my grip until I felt the splinters of wood seep painfully into my palm."I want to kill you for what you did!"

However, I found myself loosening the stake by grimacing at the stiffness in my hand before putting it on the countertop.

I lowered my head in a sense of conflict before swallowing as I could feel the tears flowing again. "But ... what you did ... vampirism ... I guess there are lots worse."

"Like to be sucked by her ancestor, you mean?" Damon suggested bitterly forcing me to support his eyes in the realization.

I felt my lips tremble as I gauged the vampire in a presentiment before swallowing. "D-Damon ... you did it out of love for Elena, right? That's why! Because you love her and you can't accept her death."

"When will you understand, Mila?" The vampire lunged as he came dangerously close to me with his stormy blue eyes narrowed in silent rage. "My love for Elena has long been forgotten. You may not want to listen to me now but if I did what I did it was because you didn't want to react. If the situation had been reversed, you would already be a vampire and we would be far from here. Very far."

I felt my limbs shiver at the prospect of my other plausible destiny before moving away from the vampire's disturbing look.

Alaric, who was at the moment a mere spectator of our discussion, hastened to intervene by placing his hand on the vampire's leather-covered shoulder. "Damon, don't do that."

"Oh, not now Jiminy crickets."

I swallowed again, looking away from his eyes before suddenly stiffening at the familiar sensation falling on me. I could suddenly feel a kind of expectation surpassing all my other emotions as I clenched my fist by my side. This feeling was soon coupled with a sort of dark and evil aura as I was deep in my internal eyebrows. Part of me was almost ready to jump for joy at the simple sensation while another, currently stronger, seemed ready to run.

I sat up in spite of myself as I scanned the Grill quickly for the source of my internal debate just to connect my eyes with a pair of blue eyes. The color was not as captivating and disturbing as Damon but more than a dark iron blue that demanded respect and attention. The eyes coupled with the locks of a curly red blond and the light red beard of the stranger was enough to plunge me into a memory of laughter and hunting in the woods. In truth, it was more of a dream. A dream that I had been doing for several months now.

It meant one thing and one thing only.

I could not ignore the quick beating that my heart as I saw him approaching in a suave and nonchalant step towards our group with a slight dark grin on the corner as he literally captivated my gaze. Elijah, Stefan, Damon and most of the vampires I met were breathtaking but this man. This vampire brought out a side of me that I did not even think existed.

"Mila. Gentleman. Why so glum?" He asked in a British accent stopping by my side with his blue eyes focused on me and me only.

The vampire by my side immediately turned to the original to the agreement of his voice simply to sigh heavily with a grimace at the sight of the smooth smile of the bastard. "Ugh. Klaus, I presume."

I felt Damon's arm snake around my waist as he pushed me towards Alaric as he rose from his stool to receive me letting me look at Klaus's face darken before he resumed an arrogant air.

"In the flesh." A grin appeared on his perfect lips making me frown at my strange thoughts again before he turned to Alaric. "Thanks for the loaners, mate. "

Damon got up in his wake as he glared at the vampire. "Any reason you stopped by to say hi?"

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelganger." Klaus said with a smile in my direction. "But I think it has been somewhat overestimated. "

"Obviously." Damon interrupted dryly. "You're old enough to understand that I'm interested in someone else."

Klaus briefly took his eyes off me as he gave a dark look at Damon, "Oh, indeed I have, mate. Unfortunately, it seems that you and your brother need a little reminder. They don't belong to you."

I felt my breath get stuck in my throat as Klaus looked back at me possessively before looking back at Damon. "I was just thinking to giving a little warning in case you try something you might regret."

Damon, on the other hand, could not help but smile at the irony as I stared at him with an anxious frown.

He shook his head as he gave a humorless "Ha." Before thanking the vampire falsely."I don't suppose I could talk about postponing this event until the next full moon, could I?" Damon asked me suddenly, making me look at him with a wide look.

Evidently, Elena.

Klaus frowned at the vampire with a laugh before turning to me. "He's kidding, right?"

"About the postponing part?" Alaric shook his head since I seemed unable to form a word in the presence of the original. "No, not really."

"Honestly, what is a month in a lifetime of original?"

Klaus gave me a curious look before turning to Damon impatiently. "Let me be clear. I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have the moonstone. And I even have a surprise ingredient. I have everything I need. The ritual will happen tonight. So, if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up. "

I held my breath as he finally pulled back from Damon before taking a step to leave.

Only he stopped at the last moment to turn to me with a charming smile."Had any interesting dreams lately?"

"What?" I was visibly surprised widening the smile of the original as he took a step in my direction just to be blocked by Damon.

He shook his head, seeming amused by the useless action of the vampire before raising his hands in false surrender as he took a step back. "I guess it's fair to let you enjoy her for a while. After tonight, Mila will only be a memory."

Klaus gave me one last look as I tried to stay together despite the horror, he had just let loose on me. I had been fully aware of my evil destiny but heard him say it so bluntly. It definitely made me dizzy. I leaned against Alaric despite myself as I felt suddenly nauseous before suddenly pushing myself out of the teacher with my hand on my lips. I gave a wide look at Damon before literally running from the bar to the restroom. I did not even have time to reach a bowl as I emptied the bit of my stomach into the nearest sink. I kept my hair out of my face the best I could as I was attacked by gagging intermittently.

It was only when my stomach seemed completely empty that my body stopped compressing itself. I breathed hard as I stayed with my head down to the sink before straightening hard while standing on the edge of the porcelain. I gave a weary look at my reflection through the mirror in front of me before turning on the faucet to clean up my mess. I took some water in the palm of my hand for my mouth before rinsing the inside in a mouthwash. I spat out the water by grimacing the bitter aroma on my taste buds before passing my hands under the water to cool my neck.

I then took a towel from the dispenser to wipe off the sweat on my forehead before throwing it into a ball in the nearest bin. Once clear of evidence of my moment of weakness, I made my way back to the Grill just to realize that the bar's previously occupied seats were now empty. A deep sense of panic assailed me as I nervously searched for the restaurant looking for Alaric and Damon.

Unfortunately, they seemed nowhere in sight which bothered me more. It was impossible for Damon to prevent something.

Unfortunately, I was totally unable to guess what he was cooking up.

It only gave me one thing to do.

I really did not really have the choice as I was leaving the Grill with my keys in hand. I was driving home to retrieve some things, mostly my diary, before suddenly stopping in front of my computer. I clicked on my application page before printing my MICEFA response before taking it with me. I closed the door behind me before finally driving everything to the boarding house. There I found Aunt Jenna, who seemed finally acclimatize to all the atrocities of this crazy world.

At least that was what I thought as I hardly thought to write my last instructions in the hope of defeating that other mind soon occupying my body.

"What are you doing?" She asked, placing a cup of coffee in front of me, forcing me to look up from my journal.

I narrowed my lips as I looked at my warning list before putting down my pencil as I took the cup in my hands. I puffed lightly on it before taking a sip while savoring the taste of black coffee.

I ended up taking my pencil with the cup still in hand before giving an uncertain look at Jenna. "If I start acting strangely. I mean, even more weird than usual, show me this diary, okay? "

"Mila-"

"It's important, Aunt Jenna." I insisted, giving her a serious look. "I'm going to fight against ... a part of me ... a hybrid ancestor and-"

"You will disappear."Suddenly comes a new familiar voice letting me look in the direction of the kitchen entrance.

I immediately frowned at the sight of the vampire before giving Jenna a look, shaking my head. "Elena? Katherine."

"The one and only." The vampire was smiling as she leaned against the crack before quickly composing her expression sheepishly in my direction. "I'm sorry, Mila. "

"What? Katherine, what- "

I did not have time to fully realize what she meant as she suddenly stumbled on Jenna at vampire speed before biting her wrist with her fangs. In the space of a moment, she had her wrist forced into Jenna's mouth forcing her to drink her blood making me jump into the realization.

Only, I did not even have time to emit any sound as she pulled her wrist dry before grabbing Jenna's head with both hands. I found myself staring into horror as she snapped Jenna's neck right in front of my eyes.

Once the task was done, Katherine released Jenna, dropping her heavily on the floor before setting her sights on me. I was completely petrified at this point as I kept looking at Jenna's now lifeless body lying on the floor. I could feel the tears and a cry threatening of leaving my lips as I took in the situation present in front of me.

Unfortunately, when I tried to reach Jenna, Katherine stepped in, letting me shrink my eyes with all the hate I could gather on the vampire. The latter seemed almost sincerely sorry but I didn't care about her moods right now. She had killed Aunt Jenna.  
And it looks like she was far from over. I did not even have the chance to struggle as she grabbed me by the waist before she went directly to the outside of the mansion. And just like that, I was suddenly received by another pair of arms much firmer and stronger.

I stiffened by simple instinct before lifting my horrified eyes on the same man of earlier. "K-Klaus. "

A broad smile appeared on his lips making me flinch in his embrace at the sight of all his teeth before the voice of Katherine called me."What am I doing with her?"

I immediately turned my head to Jenna's memory just to see Katherine pulling my aunt visibly scared by the arm."Mila, what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Jenna." I croaked to the sensation of emotions assailing me. " I am really sorry. "

I could see tears in Jenna's eyes as Klaus ordered Katherine to place Jenna in the dark Sedan before he put his eyes on me. "Now, what am I going to do with you, sweet Milana?"

He put his hand on my cheek with the intention of tracing my cheekbone. I grimaced immediately at the sensation of his touch and narrowed my eyes at him as I avoided the best contact I could.

"I am not your sweet, nor Milana!" I warned, as I felt my hate become much stronger than the confusing feelings.

That was enough to deepen his smile as he pulled me with him towards the car. " Obviously. Although I must say, I like this new fighting spirit. It would be a pity if Milana took everything."

Since I was barely attacking a normal vampire, it was obvious that I could not do anything against him. I let myself be dragged by the original as he made me climb into the passenger seat before going around the hood to get behind the wheel. I watched Katherine hold Jenna in the back making me look sheepishly at my aunt's sleepy form. Katherine held my gaze for a moment, contrite, forcing me to turn back in my seat.

I could perfectly feel the despicable vampire's eyes on my profile as he started the car. "What? You've already lost your fighting spirit, love? I'm disappointed."

I was totally unaware of his presence as I watched the familiar road leading to Alaric's apartment.

Honestly at this point, I was sincerely hoping that Damon had found a way to delay this damn ritual. Just to stand up to the vampire at my side.

"What are you doing to Jenna?" I asked, going down before giving a new grimace as he grabbed my arm again to take me inside the building. "Hey, personal space!"

Klaus struggled against with a threatening smile on his lips. "Never heard of an insurance policy?"

I felt my heart stop here and there in my chest as I gave a new look at Katherine wearing my aunt. The vampire motioned for me to be quiet, glancing at Klaus' head, making my eyebrows crinkle. I tried to turn my attention to the stairs as Klaus pulled me unceremoniously before opening the door of the apartment on the fly.

"And if you avoided the questions now. I know this may be confusing for you, sweetheart but everything will be clearer soon." He let me go as he rushed to the table letting me go straight to Jenna as Katherine put her on the couch. "Where's Maddox? He should be back now."

"I don't know." Katherine answered, letting me look at Jenna again.

The vampire discreetly brought her finger down her lips before signing Klaus currently turning his backs to us. I immediately put my eyes on the original with hatred and resentment.

"What are you doing?" Katherine asked as she took a seat on the nearest chair. "Where's Elena?"

This time, I jumped to my feet, giving Klaus an alert look. "You've already taken my sister?"

"I took her to Greta right before picking you up, Mila." Klaus explained, barely listening.

"Who's Greta? "

"Another insurance policy. Really, I have quite a few." He kept staring at his screen, letting me take a long stride in his direction to see for myself what he was so interested in. "It's almost time."

All the heads turned toward the door as it opened on the fly. Only, there was absolutely nobody. I frowned at Klaus' head as he seemed barely shaken by the burst.

"I was not aware you were invited in." Klaus commented as he relaxed in his chair as I jumped at the sight of Damon.

"I was not aware that little Gilbert had to endure your unbearable presence." Damon growled, giving me a look. "I've come here to tell you that you have to postpone the ritual."

Klaus looked visibly serene as he kept his eyes glued to him. "Have not we had this conversation before? "

"Yeah but that was before I rescued your werewolf and vampire and killed your witch." I stared at Damon in disbelief before I stopped myself from jumping as Klaus stood up abruptly before moving slowly towards Damon. " Excuse me?"

"You can kill me for it. I don't care." Announced Damon, supporting the look of the original."It was all ... me. "

I shook my head at the vampire in disbelief and worry before glancing at Klaus. The latter suddenly raised his hand before asking Katherine and myself to leave them. I watched as Katherine left the room but stayed on my positions raising an arched eyebrow of Klaus.

The latter glanced between Damon and me before giving Damon a look as he stepped into his face. "I've heard about you. The crazy, impulsive vampire in love with both his brother's girl. I knew one of you would try to stop me. It's just a 50/50 guess of who. Obviously, I had not anticipated your interest in Mila. "

"Yes, we must believe that we cannot predict everything." Irritated Damon before taunting Klaus. "But I think about it, how do you feel about seeing the dead girl you loved? It breaks your heart?"

Klaus immediately lowered his head in a breath of laughter, letting me watch the duet anxiously. The fact that I was apparently at the center of this conversation did not please me in the least. I had never particularly enjoyed this stupid design of a love triangle. And even less when they released more hatred from me than love.

"Since she's just a little girl now, I don't care what happens to her." Klaus coldly gave me a look of indignation at the vampire as he stepped back to the computer on the table. "Anyway, the nice thing about werewolves is that they tend to travel in packs."

I swallowed the screams of Jules coming from the screen before moving back as Klaus threw his phone to Damon in the realization.

If he had a spare werewolf then ...

"When you spend a thousand years trying to break a curse," Klaus leaned close to Damon's ear before hissing. "You learn a thing or two."

He stepped back from the vampire before walking around the apartment as if he owned the place. "First rule; always have a backup. Backup werewolves. Backup witch."

"Vampire Backup. "

"No!" I exclaimed in horror, giving Damon a confused look, unlike Klaus, who smiled broadly demonically.

"As you see, I planned everything." Klaus growled before throwing an uppercut that made Damon unconscious.

This time, I jumped as my first instinct was to go to his side only Klaus turned sharply to me as a warning sign.

I stopped where I stood, raising a suspicious glance from Klaus. " Stay here. "

With that, he made his way to Katherine's room, leaving me completely helpless as I finally rushed to Damon. I kneeled beside him as I took his head to rest it on my legs before tapping his cheek to try to wake him up. I could feel the tears of frustration flowing as I glanced between Jenna's unconscious body and Damon's before stopping on the door of Klaus and Katherine's room.

I clenched my jaw before abruptly getting up to the approach step. I returned to my original place just as Klaus went out, giving Damon a look and then me. He rolled his eyes openly at the sight of my worried expression before rushing towards me. He aggrieved me by the elbow, letting me pull against his hold in vain.

He dragged me through the apartment under Katherine's almost worried eyes before pushing me to the open door. "I promise you it will not hurt as much as you think. It will be fast."

"Do you seriously think that Milana will like what you have become?!" I finally got a glance from Klaus.

"If only you knew what I prepared for you." He replied with a slight smirk.

It was enough to literally freeze my blood as I could already imagine the worst.

At this point, I did not even know if I had to question where the vampire was carrying me. I just had the impression of being his fucking puppet that he could have at any time. I had never felt so vulnerable and helpless as at this moment. And I hated that.

Since all that damn vampire story, I had always had some kind of high hand and now I found myself completely at the mercy of this monster. Not to mention that he was not just going to turn my sister into a vampire but he was also going to kill my aunt.

I definitely felt like falling apart here and now.

The only thing that stopped me was my fighting spirit. I just could not give him that pleasure.

"You are strangely calm." Klaus commented, keeping his eyes on the road.

I was content to wrinkle my lips in a straight line with the intention of completely ignoring him. I even went as far as crossing my arms over my chest as I kept my eyes focused on the night road parading before us.

I could feel his piercing blue eyes on my profile as he broke the silence again. "Milana too was calm. Peaceful."

"But I'm not Milana." I finally shouted, giving a frustrated look at the vampire's attempt at the card of sincerity. "Listen, Klaus, I'm sincerely sorry that my ancestor died in this ritual condemning your wolf side but I wouldn't let myself go. I intend to fight against the spirit of Milana."

Klaus shook his head before resuming calmly. "I doubt that you really need it. You are much more like her than I imagined."

I had to admit that I was surprised by his answer. Obviously, he seemed strangely gentle and calm in my presence. He had absolutely nothing to do with the same vampire I had seen against Damon. At least, if we ignored the fact that he was going to kill two members of my family tonight. I was trying to distract that thought away from my mind as I was trying to remind myself that he was the wrong guy in this situation.

Nevertheless, I turned to him in my seat immediately catching his gaze as he gave me a side glance almost hesitantly. "If I'm so close to Milana, please leave Jenna out of it. If only for the respect of the person who will deliberately give her being and her body to your former lover."

"You would be ready to give up everything for the people you care about?" He asked even though it seemed more like a statement before giving me a reprimand look. "Emotions for others gets you killed. They're the greatest weaknesses of vampires. "

Honestly, I felt like I was debating with myself.

The emotions. It seemed like everyone's scourge right now. But even more for the vampire by my side, it would seem.

"They are for everyone." I found myself muttering as I stared at the landscape outside before suddenly frowning at the familiar sight of our driveway.

I immediately turned to Klaus just to see him hold my famous ring between his fingers. I widened my eyes wide before abruptly detach myself with the intention of recovering it just to find myself suddenly press against the vampire.

He raised his eyebrows at our position before suddenly catching my eyes in a familiar trance."Go up to your room right now. Don't leave the house until tomorrow. You don't need to watch me kill your aunt and your sister."

I pulled out of his chest in a robotic fashion as I nodded before getting off the car to walk up the driveway with tears down my eyes.

So that was how I was going to lose my family.

I climbed into my bedroom in an almost robotic rhythm before sitting on the edge of my window as I could feel my dark emotions growing stronger against my will. Maybe it was better to simply immerse myself again in the silence and despair. After all, I was going to lose two of the only people really counting for me. Not to mention that if I dipped now in a mutism then I would be much stronger than Milana.

To be honest, I did not really know how that was supposed to happen to me.

Was I supposed to disappear immediately? Will I still be in possession of my body? Would I even feel anything or it was going to be like nothing had happened?

So many questions and so little time.

When in doubt, I preferred to mentally prepare myself for an insurmountable pain. In this way, I might have a way to fight against this ancestor. I gave a look at my index minus my ring leaving me rub the surface now empty. Was it strange to suddenly feel naked and vulnerable without it.

Honestly, all I could hope for now was that Elijah intervene as planned. After meeting Klaus for real, I did not particularly want to stay in his environment. Even if he seemed to have a soft spot for me or rather for Milana.

Suddenly, I felt a shock of energy so powerful through my limbs that I literally fell off the edge of my window in shock. I stood there for a moment in surprise before giving a cry like a migraine began to pound along my temples. I took my head in my hands as I rolled into a ball on the floor before bringing my knees to my chest in a protective instinct. I could feel the tears flowing down my cheeks as a new cry escaped me before suddenly arching me by letting go of my head.

I literally stood petrified with my trembling hands in front of me as I felt a new charge of energy. It was like taking a discharge of electricity along each of my limbs and that pain in the head. There was no word to describe it.

Soon enough, I felt a different liquid start to run down my nose letting me taste my own blood on the tip of my tongue. I remained totally frozen in the same position completely unable to move any limb. I did not know how long I stayed like this until I suddenly felt this new energy load.

I blinked through the tears as I was suddenly assaulted by a suffocating fear at the sight of a figure suddenly in front of me. She was standing so that I could not see what she looked like, but I could already say that she was a woman. The mere sight of the long antique dress falling on her bare feet leaving me struggling to catch my breath. A new cry of agony left my lips as I felt a new charge of energy rolling me on my back. My arms and legs were suddenly spread on the floor leaving me to look at my white ceiling in pure agony. My breathing was fast and sibilant as I could hear the almost imperceptible footsteps of the person with me. I looked up at the person just to widen my eyes at the sight of my own face hovering above me. The same oval shape, the same blue-gray eyes holding melancholy and unspeakable sadness, the same full pink lips and the same features reminding me of both my mother and my father. She was the exact copy except for the hair, hers were longer and curly. The oval face with almost gray-blue eyes looked right through me with a feeling of sympathy as I let out another cry of pain.

I tried to make a plea to implore her pity but no sound went beyond my lips.

At the sight of my expression of pain, Milana shook her head while kneeling beside me, just letting me look at her from the side since I was unable to move.

I could see her hands touching me but I could not feel anything. Her long, thin fingers cleared my sweaty forehead as she put a strand of hair behind my ear before suddenly placing her hand on my crown of hair.

"I'm sorry, my child."

I felt the breath leave me again as I looked up at the ceiling before I let out a cry so powerful that the glass of my windows exploded in a huge roar.

* * *

 _ **Damon POV**_

Damon's arms were shaking as he carried Elena's lifeless body back to the witches' house. He took charge of bringing Elena's body back to safety while Stefan, Bonnie and Elijah took care of Klaus. The moment he reached the site of the ritual, he expected to find three Gilbert girls but instead he found only two. He could not find Mila. It made no sense to him. All this time, Elijah had said that Mila would be his secret weapon and then Klaus seized her. Damon was sure, the last time he saw Mila, she was in Klaus's possession.

Don't seeing her there terrifying him in the depths of his being. There was a time when his preoccupation would have been Elena and Elena alone but he had come to an end with his feelings.

He loved Mila. It was certain now.

But not to see her was enough to terrify him. He did not know what Klaus had done to her, or if the ritual had totally changed her. Was she going to suffer the same type of spell as Alaric when he took possession of his body? Or would it be much worse.

Damon could already say that Klaus was far more psychotic and obscure than any vampire.

At this point, there was absolutely nothing that his darkest mind could come up with to describe Mila's fate.

To distract himself from his tormented mind about Mila, if she was still among them, Damon focused his attention on Elena as he carried her into the witches' house. "If you come back as a vampire, I'll stake you myself. So, don't. "

He gently placed her body on the old sofa and pushed a lock of smooth hair on her face. He still remembered the feel of Mila's smooth, soft hair under his fingers. They definitely had the same characteristics despite being only cousins. They had the same high cheekbones.

Calmly, Damon gave Elena a bruised look. "I'm far too uncertain about Mila's fate to support the idea that you hate me forever."

He heard three footprints from the basement rushing towards him but he did not really care. He continued to rub the locks of her face as he was attacked by the memories of those moments with Mila.

He barely recognized her brother as he asked for news of his sister. Instead, Damon swallowed hard as he shook his head. "I don't know yet."

"What about Mila? "Asked her twin, who was soon joined by Felix.

Damon's face was empty and pale as he looked at Alaric and Jeremy over his shoulder. "I don't know. She wasn't here. Mila was not ... Klaus got to Jenna somehow."

"No!" Objected Alaric shaking his head.

"I'm so sorry, Jeremy."

Jeremy felt his lips quiver as he focused his eyes only on Damon. "Where is Mila?"

"She's left Alaric's with Klaus earlier ..." Damon replied, just as concerned.

"No, where is she? Where is she now?" Plaid Jeremy, his voice shaking and higher than usual.

Damon looked back at Elena visibly unable to confront Jeremy and Alaric. Faintly, he answered Jeremy. "I don't know. "

"You don't know? How do you don't know?" Barked Felix in an uncontrolled and panicked tone.

The duo looked at the vampire's back in a word loss.

Behind them, John discreetly made his way to the basement before going out to feel the light and the warmth of the sun on his skin. Alaric left the room while John gave one last look at his daughter as she caught her breath.

* * *

 _ **Okay, guys!**_

 _ **We come to the end of this book. I decided to do season 1-2 in one book. I am really waiting for your comments on these last two chapters.**_

 _ **In any case, thank you again for your support and your follow-up.**_

 _ **You're awesome.**_


	44. Chapter 44 : Bury a friend

**Chapter forty-four : Bury a friend  
**

Jenna was dead.

John too.

My parents were still dead. Elena was also dead but with John's sacrifice, she came back to life as a human.

Klaus had completed the ritual and Elijah had changed his mind. He had gone with Klaus.

As for me, I did not really know what was going on with me. I woke up this morning and it was as if last night had been a distant memory. Even my body was feeling great despite the memory of the agony that the ritual had inflicted on me. The memory of the pain was what was most invigorating for me right now. And the fact that I was living now with another person in me. I could perfectly feel her sympathy.

It was almost like I had that little voice in the back of my mind.

At the moment, this voice told me that crying was natural. That it would not change the fact that Jenna was dead and that it was normal to cry our missing loved ones. Except that I did not want to cry. In fact, I was tired of crying.

I thought that by helping Elena to perform the ritual we would get rid of Klaus but it was just the opposite. He had exactly what he wanted and even though Elena had not fled he had reduced our family almost to zero. What were the chances honestly. How a family could be almost decimated in the space of a year.

The supernatural had arrived. That's what happened, and I had more than enough.

I already knew that I would not be normal anymore and I could not figure out what I was if I stayed in this city. Not to mention that I was not really the only one to decide. I was not completely in possession of my body and I hated it.

My initial reaction would have been to extinguish all this pain in a mutism or even a catatonic state but even that I was no longer able. It was as if I had this hook holding me back. I could still guide and control my movements, but as far as my emotions were concerned it was a different story. No matter how Milana planned to take possession of my body, I already knew she was having a terrible time with my emotions right now.

Obviously, she was not used to feeling so deeply if I believed her impressions. And that was exactly what I was going to focus on. It was my only weapon to remain the main sponsor of my actions.

The agreement of heels slamming against the floor of my room made me raise my eyes from the hair clip that I twirled between my hands. I focused on my reflection just to see Elena in the entrance of our shared bathroom. She stood perfectly collected in her ceremonial black dress and low ponytail.

However, she was not fooling anyone, I could see the tears threatening to flow behind her eyes as she took a step in my direction.

"Hey, you're not ready yet." She asked hesitantly since it was the first time she'd seen me since the ritual.

In fact, Felix had been the only one to enter my room this morning to tell me all the events of the night in detail.

Now he was waiting for me on the floor below with Stefan and Damon. I assumed that half of the gang was expecting me to join Klaus and behave completely differently than usual. I could not blame them, that was what I had thought once. But it seems that for the time being I was still in control. I said well for the time to be since I could perfectly feel the intentions of Milana.

She hated this situation as much as me.

Elena stopped at my height in uncertainty before attempting to hide her clumsiness with me. She grabs my long locks smooth in her hands before gathering them in a ponytail over my head.

She gave me an uncertain look through the mirror, letting me support her brown eyes in apathy." What do you think about it? Loose or tied hair? "

"I'm leaving, Elena."

Elena immediately dropped my hair in shock and surprise before frowning at me. "What-I don't understand. "

I stood up ignoring the heartbreaking sight of my funeral dress before turning on my heels to face her. "You heard me very well. I received an acceptance email from MICEFA. I bought a bus ticket earlier. I have a week left to finish the arrangements and I'll be gone."

"I ... Mila, no."Croaked Elena in an emotional turmoil as she began to shake her head in guilt."I'm sorry, Mila. I-I'm so sorry that you and Jeremy have already lost so many people that you love. I ... I beg you, don't leave. "

I felt this sudden desire to hug her, to comfort her only I tried not to act on my instincts. Or rather Milana's instincts as I just took my sister's trembling hand to force her to support my gaze.

"You're alive and I'm really happy, Elena." I assured myself sincerely before shaking my head as she sniffed in emotion. "But I can't stay here. Not now, at least. "

She tilted her head to the side under the weight of emotion before swallowing in the difficulty."I understand. I assure you I understand, Mila. But you're my little sister. You can't leave like that."

I forced a small smile despite everything as I let Milana take action before shaking hands with my sister. I rubbed my thumb in the crook of her palm before heading to the stool of my dresser.

I sat in front of the mirror again, retrieving the hair clip that had belonged to my mother before giving Elena a new look through the mirror. "I'll join you later."

Elena gauged me on the edge of tears through the mirror before trying to nod her head in acceptance. I only let a tear drop down my cheek when Elena left the room leaving me with my thoughts and Milana's as a company.

* * *

I knew I was going to be late.

To be honest, I had no desire to attend this small, disastrous gathering. And for once, Milana seemed to share my opinion. But I could not behave in such a way. Not at this moment. After all, it was one of my last moments in Mystic Falls for a long time. I knew that the internship was only for the summer but my mind was looking much further. I already knew that I had passed my tests even though I did not have the confirmation yet and I had a real escape.

I should still understand how this shared life works, but I already knew that I could do it. I had at least that for the people who had died participating in our life.

I walked slowly through the graveyard paths, keeping my arms crossed over my chest in a feeling of self-awareness and discomfort.

Obviously, this new style of clothing did not particularly appeal to Milana if I believed her impressions. This only amplified my internal debate as I was now with an interlocutor.

I approached the small group with a solemn expression, ignoring most of their gaze landing on me as I walked to the freshly dug graves. I deposited the white lilies that I had personally recovered in our garden. They were the favorites of my mom and Jenna. I still remembered their discussion about it when we went looking for them.

The simple sight brought more tear to Elena's eyes as I passed her silently before laying the flowers beside the red roses filed by Elena. I then straightened up to present my last tributes before being quickly joined by Felix. The latter wrapped his arm around my waist causing a slight discomfort deep within me. I did not know this feeling since it was not mine before focusing my eyes on one of the vampires present. Damon held my gaze in search of emotion, though to confirm I was there.

In response, I was content to give him a simple nod before I stiffened somewhat to the feeling of a hand closing on mine. A look on the side and I met the sad look of Jeremy leaving me close my hand on his own turn. I gave him a little pressure to prove that his twin was still there despite all before suddenly release his hand. I ignored his confused look as well as that of Felix as I detach myself from the latter before turning back under the confused eyes of the rest of the group.

I had never been very good at this kind of emotional gathering and Milana did not seem particularly comfortable in this situation. Her impression coupled with mine made the moment unbearable.

Obviously, it was not counting on Felix Fell as the sound of his rapids steps were soon to be known as he suddenly grabbed my wrist.

My first instinct was to snugly remove my wrist from his touch. "Whoa, relax, it's just me."

"I don't like to be touched by strang-"

I stopped myself as I realized that it doesn't really come from me before my lips pucker in a straight line as I frowned my eyebrows in frustration.

It was going to be a huge problem.

I could feel Felix's inquisitive look on my profile even though he was silent. And those even during the journey back home. He just followed me, hovering behind my back like my shadow. That was enough to amplify my outrage right now.

"You're going to give me peace!" I suddenly exploded, swiveling on my now naked feet just to bring my hand to my lips with a frightened look at Felix. "I ... Felix, I'm sorry. I'm terribly sorry, Felix. I didn't want… "

And just like that, I fell into a pile on the floor.

Felix rushed at me to encircle me with a reassuring brace allowing me to break into his arms. I had never felt as weak and vulnerable as now. If I thought that last night was my weakest moment it was because I had not imagined what it would be like to live with the soul of another person inside my mind.

I readjusted my cheek against Felix's solid shoulder, sniffing before closing my eyelids as silent tears flowed freely down my cheeks. It was only when I thought I could not cry anymore that I used my fingers to wipe away the traces of my weakness. I sniffed using Felix's arms for support before I cleared my throat to move away from his embrace.

The latter immediately put his eyes on me to watch me carefully. "Mila, I know it's not the moment but ... what happened during the ritual? You ... you're not the same anymore."

I froze my eyes on Felix visibly uncertain about my next action. I could perfectly feel this mistrust clear as the day but it was not mine. Felix had never given me even one reason to doubt him. To tell you the truth, I had been the only suspicious person with him, yet he had thrown himself body and soul into the world of the supernatural for me. Even if it involved operating his transformation.

Nevertheless, the feeling of mistrust dissipated soon in a mixture of fear. What if he saw me in a new light? Or if he went directly to see the others to tell them what was wrong with me? What if he tried to get rid of Milana? I knew that this last question was more about her than about myself, but I knew that part of me did not want to separate me from Milana. As crazy as it sounds, she was the only one keeping me afloat right now and I could not let this opportunity disappear. That was probably why Milana urged me to leave the city. My desire was already there from the beginning but it was she who pushed me to book a bus ticket.

One thing was certain at this point; her self-preservation instinct was very powerful.

* * *

Three days.

Three full days trying to control my emotions coupled with Milana's. One thing was certain, Milana had a way to reach me that was not so sweet as that.

Two days crying in my bed and she finally got me out of my trance by slapping me.

Well, I had slapped myself but I was sure it was not my own.

Surprise and shock had been enough for these impressions to become stronger than my own pain.

Now I was full of energy and especially anger.

It would seem that Milana's strong point was anger. It was strange to think about it after the dreams I had, but it seemed quite understandable when you knew she was a witch and a werewolf. It was two rather temperamental beings after all and Milana was a combination of both.

Unfortunately, she used my own memories to build anger that did not really resemble me.

That is, anger directed towards Elena.

I would never have been able to actually express my thoughts on Elena before but now I could barely support her face for more than five seconds. It was as if I was ready to throw my fist in her face if I stayed in the same room with her. All this hate and resentment was fueled by my memories and Milana's impression of my sister.

Clearly, she did not really appreciate Elena's actions. Not to mention she seemed to have an aversion to double Petrova. Knowing her story a little, I could already imagine why. But she remained my sister, hence the reason why I fought tooth and nail to keep myself as far from her as possible.

I stopped my morning run on our porch by pulling the headphones out of my ears before turning the handle of our house with a slight foreign feeling. My life had become so strange that I now felt like a stranger in my house and all because of the parasite cohabiting with me.

I left my headphones hanging around my neck as I headed for our kitchen before stopping in front of our fridge. I did not know Jeremy's presence involuntarily as I took a bottle of water before closing the door behind me.

I unscrewed the cap to take a long sip to quench my thirst before suddenly stiffening at the entrance of my sister in the room.

"Hey!"

I diligently followed her ascent into the room with my eyes squinting on her back before quickly looking away as she turned to me. "Did you do your morning run?"

"Do me a favor, Elena. Don't speak to me until I leave. "

With that, I tightened my grip on my bottle before leaving the kitchen under the eyes worried and frightened about my siblings.

 _ **Jeremy POV**_

Jeremy looked at his sister's receding back with a completely surprised, understanding look before turning to Elena. The latter had a total expression of shock as she turned to him in worry.

She pointed to the departure of their sister with her thumb over her shoulder before shaking her head, frowning. " It's not normal. Mila, don't behave as usual. I think the ritual had to change her. It's Milana, she-"

"Is this really the ritual, Elena?" Jeremy interrupted her seriously, raising an offended and incredulous expression from his older sister."Elena, I know it's not your fault, but Mila thinks differently. When Mom and Dad are dead, she has chosen a way to treat their death worse than mine, and I would not be honest if I said I'm not relieved that she doesn't know how to shut her up. Neither she nor I blamed you for our parents but for John and Jenna, she sees it differently. For her, John died so that you could stay alive and if you were not the doppelganger, Klaus wouldn't have taken it from our family. Jenna would never have been used for the ritual. I repeat, I don't blame you but from the perspective of Mila, I say that it's understandable. Not to mention that she suffered a kind of shock during the ritual and we still don't know what it is. We can't ask her since she doesn't even want to talk to Felix about it. I think it will be for the best if she leaves for this internship."

"I know." Elena whispered as she watched Jeremy pick up his untouched cereal bowl before he picked up a new spoon with the intention of giving it to Mila.

To be honest, Elena also felt partially responsible for the deaths of John and Jenna. For the death of two people close to Mila. But she remained convinced that something had happened to her during the ritual. Elijah had warned them and the ritual had worked for Klaus so where was Milana's soul.

It was true that her sister had not changed that much and that her reaction could be explained but Elena could not help wondering what had become of her.

* * *

 _ **Mila / Milana POV**_

I just had time to get out of the shower with a towel wrapped around me as Jeremy knocked against the ajar door of my room. I could hear his footsteps in my room as I strained to put on jeans despite my wet legs before completing my outfit with a simple sleeveless T-shirt.

One thing I had learned with Milana was that she did not really like the dresses of our time. At least that made us a common point. I do not know what I would have done had if she been like Katherine in fashion. I ended up taking a look through the mirror to sound her opinion before grinning as I realized how strange it was.

I did not know how satisfied I was with my limbs as I returned to my room just to stop at the sight of my twin sadly inspecting the travel bag on the top of my bed. I did not know his presence at the sight of the cereal bowl in his hand before taking an elastic on my wrist to tie my long hair in a messy bun. Another thing that had the gift of annoying me. Maybe I should just cut them.

I turned on my heels to resume what I had started this morning already before taking a stack of T-shirt from my dresser. I passed Jeremy on the way before taking the travel bag to drop the pile under his scrutinizing eyes.

Finally, he let a long sigh to my ignorance. "Do you plan to ignore me for a long time?"

At my lack of response, Jeremy suddenly grabbed my wrist instantly making me stiff in defense. I stiffened in spite of myself before glancing at his hand holding me in place. I literally had to fight every pore in my body so as not to pull my wrist.

"Jeremy." I just give him a sharp look at his hand.

Jeremy immediately frowned, obviously not understanding my reluctance before removing his hand anyway. "At least I know you just choose not to talk this time."

I rolled my eyes at his frustrated reaction before pivoting back on my heels to pull all the drawers out of my dresser.

I picked up different piles of clothes in search of what I wanted to take with me before settling on my brother's tired statement. "You know you're selfish, Mila. First, you decide to leave without even telling me about it, then you barely stay during the funerals of John and Jenna and now you can hardly listen to me when I speak to you. You're not the only one to have lost someone."

"Really?" I finally exploded as I turned around to face his look surprised with bitterness. "Am I really not the only one? Because of what I see, you do everything as if everything were fine. Nothing is ok, Jer. Are we supposed to ignore everything and continue to live as before? As if we didn't just sentence to death two members of our family?"

"I don't want you to act like our lives are not screwed. That's what Elena does with that stupid movie night. But you must admit that ignoring everyone around you when you are about to leave the city is not the best solution."

I could feel my limbs start shaking as I struggled again against the flood of tears threatening to sink.

Fortunately for me, Milana was strong for that kind of thing.

She was not one to cry and she was allowing me to fight with more control as I gave Jeremy a distressed look. "So, what? Crying is not ok, locking me into silence either and acting as everything was fine is certainly not the answer. So, tell me, what do you advise me to do?"

"I can't tell you how you should feel." Objected Jeremy shaking his head contrite, letting me think he was the only one. "But I know we have to stay together. You, Elena and me. As long as we stay together, everything will be fine."

This time, I let a mocking breath as I pushed me of my dresser to throw a pair of jeans in my travel bag. "Yeah, I think we already realized that I was going to pass over the three musketeers and the oath: against all odds."

"Mila-"

"No, Jer! I'm done talking." I cried, stopping neatly with my hands hovering over my travel bag in frustration. "Just ... get out of my room now. "

I waited to hear Jeremy's withdrawal steps before leaving my eyes on the door of my now closed room.

I could not wait to leave.

* * *

I still needed to do so much, and I was literally unable to concentrate with all these excess emotions. I started sincerely that I was going to go nuts. One minute I just wanted to scream and let go of my rage and then the second after, I wanted to collapse into a ball and never come out of my bed until the next era. It was an internal conflict that I was definitely not ready to solve and I already knew that part of it was not my own emotions.

I stopped in my stimulation in indignation before stopping at the agreement of this incessant ringing. The sound seemed excruciatingly loud and I could already feel that anger again.

"Please, Milana, not now." I muttered to myself in a whisper as I grabbed my beating head.

I kneeled while holding my head still my hands and grimaced as I could feel my warm blood pulsating against my veins. The pain was almost as unbearable as on that famous night.

I glanced at the element at the origin of my situation before suddenly straightening with an almost unnatural grace. I caught myself snarling an almost animal grunt before grabbing my phone just to feel a new surge of anger at the sight of Elena's ID. I tightened my grip on my phone before abruptly stopping me as I heard the slight crack of my screen. I gauged the tooth in surprise and disbelief before dropping the phone in a moment of fear.

How? How could I break my phone screen? I was not strong or excessively angry. I was not able to do all that. As if that was not enough, an urge of calm suddenly crossed my veins as if it were supposed to be quite normal.

I dropped to the top of my bed with a sob over my lips before taking my head in my hands again for another reason.

Unfortunately, my phone rings again, letting me look up to see Elena's photo flashing on my broken screen. I sniffed by pinning my locks of hair behind my ears before leaning over to pick up my phone in hesitation.

I let my thumb hover over the screen in uncertainty before quickly wiping my tears as I brought the receiver to my ear. "Yes? "

A new impetus crossed my veins as I heard my sister's voice, but I tried to listen to her. "You need to go to the boarding house now."

I contemplated the idea of simply hanging up since I absolutely did not want to handle any problem at the moment. I already had enough of my own plausible schizophrenia problems.

Nevertheless, the urgent tone of my sister made me fight my initial instinct."Why do I need to go?"

"Damon's really sick. Just meet us at the house, we're almost there."

"We?" I asked at first, obviously confused before quickly rolling my eyes to her statement."He's a vampire; vampire don't get sick."

"This time he's sick." Elena insisted on alert. "He bit me. He was hallucinating and thought I was Katherine. He showed up in the town looking and asking for you. But now he seems to be okay."

I clenched my jaw at my sister's own foolishness before tightening my grip on my phone again. "If it's a kind of conspiracy to-"

"I'm serious, Mila!" Elena interrupted me dryly in frustration. "Look, it's been a really crazy night. Can you just listen to me and stop packing for a moment? For Damon?"

I put my eyes on the bags lying on the floor of my room before getting up from my bed reluctantly. I headed for my combat boots to put on before taking the call just to find that Elena had hang up. I gave a look at my now black screen before rolling my eyes as I finished lacing my boots before grabbing my denim jacket in the way. I ran down the stairs four at a time in a feeling of mistrust and apprehension before taking my keys from my SUV on the way out.

During the whole trip, I was trying to overcome my bad feeling about a plausible stupid joke with the intention of getting me out.

Honestly, the more I thought about this possibility, the more my instinct was to turn around. I had more than two days left after all to finish my move and I still had to find a permanent place to stay. I knew I would have to feel nervous and apprehensive about being in a big city like New Orleans, but a thought seemed to linger in my mind.

The fact that I did not seem as lonely as before also helped me more than I wanted to admit.

Finally, the view from the boarding house decided for me as I cut the engine once near the entrance. I pulled away collecting the keys before going down with a deep sense of suspicion. Another thing I had discovered in the short time I lived with Milana was that her sense of mistrust was even higher than anyone else. Even Damon seemed a little player in front of her.

I closed the door of the house behind me before advancing into the hallway with a slight sense of appreciation of the decor. "Elena? Damon? "

"Hey!" Elena greeted as she goes down the stairs with relief. "I wasn't sure you would come."

"I wasn't either." I accepted coldly as I could feel this resentment along my veins with Elena."Where is Damon? "

I climbed the stairs with the intention of going to Damon's room only Elena stopped me with her hand on my forearm.

This time, I did not hesitate a single second as I immediately rejected her touch. I grabbed her hand at the flight leaving Elena wincing at the pressure on her wrist before giving me a wide look of concern. "Mila."

I narrowed my eyes in a murderous look at the brunette before leaning towards her in a hiss." _Don't. Touch. Me._ "

The already wide look on Elena's face widens further if it were even possible, letting me release her hand harshly before turning on my heels.

"Do you ... Milana?"

I stopped in spite of myself at the call of my sister confirming her suspicions before heading back up the stairs. I stopped only when I reached Damon's room before leaning against the crack with my arms crossed over my chest at the sight of the vampire lying on the top of his bed. He seemed much paler than usual and I could see a trickle of sweat down his forehead. At least Elena did not lie to me.

Unfortunately, a feeling in my chest told me that I already knew what was happening to him. Or at least, Milana already knew.

"Get out." Damon croaked in a hoarse voice.

I pushed myself out of the door, loosening my arms from my chest before taking slow steps in his direction. "This is probably the first time you have asked a girl to leave your room."

"Don't make me repeat myself, bawdy." Damon insisted with a little more determination.

"The fact that you still hope I'm listening to you will always surprise me." I said sarcastically.

Damon grimaced as he fell into a sweaty cough before moaning as a trickle of almost black red blood trickled down the palm of his hand.

He wiped his hand on his silk sheets making me wince in turn in the realization. "A man can always dream. Go."

"You're not a man." I asked in an intelligent tone as I continued to walk towards him. "And stop doing your baby because I'm not going to leave."

"I swear to god, Mila, just go before I hurt you."

I gave a critical look at the vampire just in condition to inflict some scratch. "Even a newborn baby would be a bigger threat than you right now."

And just to prove my point, Damon tried and failed miserably to jump at me. I arched an eyebrow in my corner as Damon looked at his empty hands in realization, letting me shake my head in disapproval.

"See? Unable to do anything to m-"At the sight of the vampire swinging dangerously on his feet, I leaned over to receive him before guiding him to the bed. "C'mon, back to bed."

"I hurt Elena." Damon admitted as he let himself be transported to the bed.

I rolled my eyes helping him on the bed before taking a step back to examine him more closely with a whisper. "I never thought I would see the day I should take care of you."

"I thought she was Katherine." Damon moaned, rolling slightly on the bed in pain."I was hallucinating her. I thought it was 1864 again and it was when I ... doesn't matter."

"You know the bitch is really ..." I winced as I lifted Damon's legs up on the bed before sitting down on the bed before feeling his forehead. "Evil and whoa, you're hot! "

Damon tried to smile through his pain as he could feel his heat radiating from his body. He should not be so close to her, he could hurt her. See worse. But he could not ignore the feeling of calm and soothing to her presence. She was his own morphine. "I've always been hot, sweetheart."

"You're lucky to be already in a bad state." I warned before I let out a breath as Damon pulled me to his side.

I bounced lightly against the bed before narrowing my eyes at the vampire as he pulled me closer to steal my heat. I stiffened in spite of myself at the sensation of his lips in the hollow of my neck before fighting against the impressions of Milana.

Instead of pushing him away, I raised my hand in hesitation before caressing his hair tenderly."If you tell someone about that, I'll have to kill you. "

"Believe me venom will do it before you." The vampire murmured in the crook of my neck, confirming my suspicions about the reasons for his condition.

I recoiled a little from his embrace, keeping my hand on his shoulder to hold his gaze with a whisper. "You didn't intend to tell me. That's why Elena called me."

"I heard you were on the run." Damon sighed, sweeping a bit of my face in spite of his weakness. "Who was I to delay your moment of freedom? Besides, watching me die was not really the best farewell gift. "

I rolled my eyes as I readjusted on my side of the bed to get closer to his sweaty face before feeling my heart tighten in plain sight."You're not going to die, Damon."

"I give you a point for the effort." The vampire winced through the pain before tightening his arm around me in a spasm. "But it's a werewolf bite. Tyler started transitioning sooner than I thought he would. He went to attack Caroline and I got in the middle. We tussled and he accidentally bit me."

"C'mon, you can not die having saved Caroline's life. You're not the good guy, remember? It's the role of Saint Stefan that. Plus, you still have to convince me that it's a good idea to have feelings for you." I insisted. Damon could not die. Not him too.

"If only I had more time." Melancholy sighed the vampire as he raised his almost crystalline blue eyes to my face. "I would do more than convince you."

I let a hoarse laugh through my tight throat in emotion before shaking my head on the vampire. "Glad to see that your confidence has not faded."

A wave of pain fell on Damon as he contracted as if he had just been stabbed. He groaned heavily in pain before tightening his arm around my waist. He brought me closer to him by pure instinct causing a slight feeling of discomfort along my veins. I tried in vain to reassure him with calm and soothing murmurs while caressing his greasy hair. I ignored the wetness of his forehead as I took his cheek into the palm of my palm to support his bluish look once the pain had blossomed.

"You are such an idiot."I snorted, fighting the tears. "I should be mad at you. You were supposed to do something stupid but instead you saved Caroline and Tyler from Klaus. Then you took the bite instead of Caroline. Since when you do good deed?"

"I was selfish. I wanted to delay the ritual. I made many choices that drove me here. It was only a matter of time before I ended up dying."

"So, what? Do you think you deserve to die?" I exclaimed calmly before shaking my head fiercely in the objection. "Keep saying such bullshit and I could put an end to your suffering much sooner than expected."

"Please do. "

"No!" I protested indignantly. "How can you even ask me that?"

Damon visibly struggled against the pain in his limbs as he took my hand to intertwine his fingers with mine before kissing the top of my hand.

He brought our hands close to his chest before putting his tired eyes on me again. "A few months ago, you would have done it without a second thought. Do you remember ? You were so mad at me. And yet, you never asked me to change. Not even once. I thank you for that."

"Oh, you're grateful now?" I asked with annoyance in an attempt to fight a little more against the tears. "I think you owe me so much more than that. And if you stayed alive to start."

Damon struggled to form a breath of laughter through the pain. "If only I could reform the past. I wouldn't spend so much time running blindly behind Katherine and Elena. I found the thing that I missed the most and again I completely missed it because of my obsession. Even then I would not be in this situation. A part of me needed Elena forgiveness because I still love her and I could not go through eternity with her hating me. But I came to understand that with Katherine and Elena, it was simply about my happiness. I wanted to have them for me. But with you, it was different. For once in my life, I felt like putting your feelings before mine. That's why I didn't try to stop you all those other times. I wanted you to be the one coming to me."

"I hope it's not another of your plans to bring me to you." I said, pressing my chin on the top of his head as I could feel a tear escape me before squinting my lips to talk through the emotion. "I don't care if you still have feelings for Elena and Katherine. And ... thank you for respecting my choices. "

"You're welcome. "

A dark and melancholy silence seized our duet as I just stroked the little hair on the nape of the neck of the vampire in an attempt to soothe his pain. I could feel the reluctance in each of my members as well as the objection, but I completely and completely ignored each of Milana's impressions. I was still in full control and I was currently living a troubling time not to have to deal with her feelings in addition to mine. A fact she seemed to realize as I end up feeling all my bad impressions fade.

I was alone again in my body and it was good.

"I don't want to lose you." I admitted in a whisper as I fought against a sob.

Damon closed his eyes to avoid looking at my expression in distress. This gave me the opportunity to observe him even through his sickly pale expression. He was always and will remain the first man for whom my amorphous heart had woken up.

"Tell me ... tell me what you're going to do this summer."

I gave him a look by controlling my tremors before shaking my head in acceptance."I ... ye-yeah, I'll tell you. I am going to discover New Orleans thinking of each member of my family. I must leave so as not to be overwhelmed by memories. I ... I don't think I could live in Mystic Falls if you're not there anymore. I get used to seeing your boring personality wherever I go. You know ... like this time in the Grill. Who's going to steal my fries if you're gone?"

"Why not that snotty little wolf?" Damon grumbled through his short breath, "Ask him to come with you. New Orleans is not a safe place for a nice little thing like you. You attract the supernatural as a honey jar for a bee."

"I hope you know I'm letting it pass just because you're-"

Damon suddenly let out a loud grunt with his face wrinkled in pain. I immediately brought my hands to his face to hold him in place by gently rubbing my thumbs on his moist cheeks before moving on to his hair, his back. "Hey, it's okay. Shh, it's alright. You're ok. "

When the spasm of his muscles stopped, Damon hardly caught his breath.

I gave him an anxious look before adjusting to the pillow helplessly. "What could help you? Tell me and I'll do what you want."

"Blood." Groaned the vampire in a last moment. "I need blood. "

Without thinking, I brought my wrist to his lips, giving the vampire a bewildered look."Here."

Damon shook his head as he pulled back of the tempting veins. "I meant a blood bag."

"There is no way in hell I leave you." I asked before bringing my wrist back to his lips despite the struggle in my limbs. "Drink before I change my mind."

He protested again in a last moment of will. I held a grunt to his determination before insisting. This time, Damon protested against the cool skin of my wrist only he was too thirsty. I watched with a slight sense of apprehension and disgust (not me) as his fangs come out of their gums before he began to suck my life elixir. I felt my heart beating faster and faster in my chest as Damon continued to suck my blood with his eyelids closed. He seemed to definitely regain some semblance of color as he used his free hand to hold my wrist in place.

It was only when I could feel the numbness in my limbs that I pulled my wrist hard. Again, not my action.

"You okay?" Damon exclaimed at the agreement of the slower beat of my heart before biting into his own wrist. "You need to drink my blood."

I shook my head at once, pushing his wrist before giving him a sharp look."And risk turning into a vampire? You said it yourself, I'm a magnet for the supernatural."

Damon shook his head in the objection as he straightened up on himself. "No. I drank too much. You need ... you need to heal, to recover."

"I'm stronger than I look." I recalled as I readjusted on the bed as I could feel the numbness and fatigue taking a turn on my body.

Damon immediately pulled me to his side, putting a chaste kiss on my temple before looking up at the ceiling. I readjusted my head on his shoulder taking in his still strong and stable state before distracting me with the buttons of his shirt. His chest was getting up and down at a slower pace than usual, making me fight the tears again.

I clenched my jaw as I closed my eyelids to contain the emotions at bay while Damon readjusted his head on top of mine. I could feel his moist cheek against my forehead.

Damon leaned toward me in a whisper. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Anything you want."

"I know you think there's this darkness in you. These demons haunt you and make you think that you're already lost. At least that's what you told me the first time I saw you in those woods." Damon admitted in nervousness before resuming before I could ask questions. "I made you forget what you said because the truth is that right this moment, I knew I couldn't kill you. You reminded me so much of what I had been looking for all these years."

"Don't tell me Katherine."

"My humanity, Mila." The vampire weakly corrected. "You reminded me how I felt. You seemed so fragile and ready to give up hope. I felt the same way for so long. And then I thought you shouldn't feel like that. That you could not feel like that since you were only human."

"I was sure you could not handle what I am. What I had become and then you proved to me how wrong I was. You showed me there was another way. I could never understand how you managed to reach me without expecting anything from me. Or maybe that's exactly it. You have never expected anything from me. You have always made your opinions clear and you have never hesitated to stand up to me. Even when I was about to do something unforgivable. You've always been here to remind me that there was another way."

"Unfortunately, I persisted in that voice and even then, you never changed. You stayed the same and I watched you assert yourself like no one else. You are probably the one who has learned the most from the supernatural world and you never cease to surprise me. That's why my regret will always be not giving more importance to what I felt from the beginning."

"I also know that you never intended to act on your feelings simply because you're not ready for it. After all, you're only 16 but I want you to hear it. I want you to know that I love you, Mila. I'm sorry to tell you now but I can't leave without having told you at least once."

"I know." I whispered as I could feel the tears rolled one after the other along my cheeks. "I know it now, Damon. And I-"

"Don't." He interrupted me abruptly. "Don't say it just because I'm dying. You don't have to say it. I know you're not ready for it."

I wanted to respect Damon's wishes deeply, but something told me that I might not feel that love for Damon anymore. It may have been partly because of Milana, but I knew she had already begun to change my perceptions of the people around me.

"Damon ..."

"It's okay, Mila." He reassured himself, letting the tears come for the first time. "Having you by my side one last time was worth all the declarations of the world."

I shook my head through my tears as I rested my head on his shoulder as I squeezed my grip on his hand. "Are you in pain?"

"Yeah." Damon scoffed quietly. "My heart is breaking because I'm going to lose the girl I love."

I immediately gave a visibly uninspired look at the vampire as I sniffed. " I hate you. "

"If only it were so simple." Damon whispered visibly weaker and weaker." Promise me. Promise me that you will continue to live your life far from the supernatural. Discover the country and fall in love with a boring guy who will make clichéd statements. Make sure he's almost as beautiful and sexy as me. For ... for my ego."

I left a laugh without humor as I climbed slightly on my elbows with my heart pounding before supporting the vampire's gaze as I slowly shook my head. Then, I leaned down slowly, supporting his bluish orbs in hesitation before putting my lips on his lips. The kiss was chaste and light as I closed my eyelids with a tear along my cheek.

It was a long and melancholy kiss.

It was a goodbye kiss.

"I promised." I whispered as I pulled away to rest my head on his shoulder.

"Thank you."

"Anything for you. "

"Well, it's me you should be thanking." Suddenly comes a naughty voice in the room.

I sat up in shock at the sight of Katherine leaning nonchalantly against the crack with a red flask between her thumb and forefinger.

When Damon rolled on his back, Katherine walked confidently towards us. "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure."

"You got free." Damon said to himself as I gave Katherine my place before watching her unravel the vial stopper.

"Yep. Finally." She sighed dramatically before holding the vial close to Damon's separated lips.

The cure seemed to have an almost instantaneous effect as Damon tilted his head towards the vampire in confusion. "And you still came here?"

"I owed you one." Katherine answered softly as she stroked his cheek. Then, as if nothing had happened, she jumped to her feet to turn to me. "I'll be you, I'll leave this city as soon as possible. Klaus is looking for you."

"I should hope so." I assured myself with a nod, ignoring the sudden feeling of length in my chest.

There was no doubt that Milana wanted to see Klaus again, unfortunately I knew he was not the same man she had known. And there was absolutely no possibility that I would let myself be captured for a stupid feeling. Without wishing to offend her obviously.

"Where's Stefan?" Damon asked suddenly as Katherine stopped in her exit.

"He's paying for this." She replied, shaking the flask. "He's giving himself over to Klaus. I would not expect him anytime soon."

I immediately frowned at the mistrust and worry as Damon shared my thoughts. "What do you mean: he has himself over?"

"He just sacrificed all he has to save you, including Elena. You're in charge of keeping her campany now. Goodbye, Damon, Mila." Katherine smiled on her way out before stopping to wink at Damon. "It's ok to love both. I did."

I narrowed my eyes on the vampire before surprising me with feeling a kind of understanding in the vampire's words.

I frowned unconsciously at my brows before turning back to the remaining vampire with a raised eyebrow. "Are you ok?"

"No." Groaned Damon straightening up. "What the hell has Stefan done?"

I narrowed my lips giving a flat look at the vampire. "What he always does. He saves your stupid ass."

I shook my head as I thought about Katherine's warning before giving Damon a look. "I'm going to call Elena."

With that, I turned on my heels with the intention of leaving the room only Damon's confused voice stopped me. "Whoa, whoa, where are you going?"

"You heard Katherine. I can't stay in town. "

Damon immediately frowned at me in a bad feeling. " So, what ? What are you going to do?"

"In your opinion ? A typical movement of Katerina Petrova." I answered with a hint of mystery in my voice before stopping in the hallway with a sarcastic grin. "Minus turning into a vampire, of course."

* * *

 _ **So it's the end !**_

 _ **I want to know your opinion on this last chapter as well as your envy or not of a continuation?**_

 _ **Plus, I know some are pretty mixed on Damon's behavior. I especially wanted to bring out the confused side of the vampire. We must not forget that he identifies him much with Mila and it is more complicated than with Elena for him. She makes him doubt his humanity and his value and we all know how Damon reacts to his humanity.**_

 _ **Also, I will be happy to follow you and I hope you will follow the story ahead.**_


	45. Chapter 45 : EPILOGUE

_**EPILOGUE**_

* * *

 _ **May 20th**_

Klaus and Stefan left the city and me with it.

* * *

 _ **May 22**_ **th**

It is the day when dreams have resumed their course.

 _This time I was not in the forest. No, instead I was in a small cabin dating back to Milana's time. The walls were made of clay and straw, the furniture of wood and iron. The general atmosphere was rustic and quite cold if you did not count the chimney fire in the corner of the room. It seemed like the main room but also the dining room, the bedroom and all the rooms as a whole. It was not surprising given the time Milana lived in, but I had to admit that I was quite surprised by how old the room was. I understood better why she had seemed amazed at all my furniture.  
_

 _I still remembered her feeling of internal panic. It was almost impossible to bear.  
_

 _Nevertheless, she gave me a new memory of her life and I knew now that I had to give it a lot of importance to understand her better. Milana was what could be called a gold mine in terms of information about Originals and even more about herself and me.  
_

 _The abrupt opening of a squeaky door called to me, letting me immediately turn to the source of the sound just to widen my eyes at the sight of a mini me running in the room._

 _The dreams had totally changed. Now they looked more like memories than mystical dreams._

 _I still struggled to adjust to the identical resemblance between Milana and myself.  
_

 _However, it seems that this time I would not really have time to think more about my likeness as my child Milana was suddenly pursued in the room by a young boy with a blond head._

 _He was wearing a bored expression as he ran around the table in an attempt to catch Milana."Milana, it's not fair. Come back."  
_

 _"Sorry, Nik, but you're too small." Milana teased as she narrowly avoided the boy's small, crisp hands again. "Miss me. "  
_

 _Their little game continued a little more like Milana did not seem ready to give up before the boy, Nik, suddenly stopped with a sulky look. He gave an angry look at Milana before turning his head like a little child petulant with his arms crossed over his little chest.  
_

 _Honestly, I suddenly found myself smiling at the sight. He was potentially adorable._

 _On the other hand, Milana stopped in her turn before giving a confused look at the little boy."Nicklaus? Why did you stop chasing me?"  
_

 _I literally had to take a break as I stared at the little boy with wide eyes.  
_

 _It was Klaus._ _The same man or rather hybrid now who had mentally and physically tortured my family. The man who had destroyed so little family feeling I had left.  
_

 _Suddenly, the sight of this little boy no longer seemed so amusing and adorable to me. I knew I should not, but I suddenly felt myself enjoying his boredom.  
_

 _"Because you cheat." The boy said, keeping his eyes away from Milana.  
_

 _"Not even true. "Objected Milana, crossing her arms to her chest with a pout. "You say that because you're jealous that I'm faster than you. "  
_

 _"You're not faster!" Exclaimed the boy suddenly in a fit of anger letting me recognize the capricious little psychopath of my time.  
_

 _However, Milana seemed barely shaken by his explosion as she lifted her chin with confidence. " Prove it. The last arrival at your farm."  
_

 _With that, Milana gave him no other choice as she dashed into a run, leaving the boy looking at her with wide eyes in bewilderment.  
_

 _However, he soon regained his senses as he let out an irritated groan before launching himself in shouting after the little girl. "I was not ready! "  
_

* * *

June 7

To tell the truth, this is where Milana's memories began to come back to me every night after this one. Every night, I would go to bed with this redundant feeling of anxiety before ending up in another memory of past life.

 _Just as I was at the moment, I was bending down to avoid a branch lying over my head as I watched the now familiar woods. It was the woods of Mystic Falls. Only something told me that they were much older._

 _"Kol, I said, concentrate!"  
_

 _"I'm trying!"  
_

 _I frowned immediately at the agreement of the unknown voice in the distance before I found myself walking unconsciously in that direction. I was not long in perceiving the sunlight, which seemed much brighter than between the trees around me. It was so bright that I had to hide my eyes with my hand to avoid being blind.  
_

 _"Concentrated! Concentrated!" Repeated the woman's voice, seeming to become more and more frustrated. "Kol, look at Milana. She focuses."  
_

 _"She's just an I know everything." A new, more hoarse, hoarse voice whispered at once.  
_

 _I finally ventured into the open space just to see three new faces standing on the edge of a river. The same river I had seen all these months before. I narrowed my eyes at the sight of a woman, tall and slender, with hair so golden that it seemed almost white. In front of her stood two smaller silhouettes. Although one of them, a young boy seemed taller than the girl.  
_

 _This girl was Milana.  
_

 _Unlike the previous dreams of the past two weeks, I seemed to have advanced in her youth. She seemed more at puberty. Milana seemed impertinently rolling her eyes at the boy's accusations as she continued to levitate a leaf above the ground. At the sight of her magic, I found myself again fascinated and slightly frightened. It was not the first time I attended this kind of show in my dreams._

 _After all, magic was part of her life and Ayanna, who was apparently Bonnie's ancestor, was the witch who had collected her. It was obvious that the magic was regular in her life.  
_

 _Suddenly, Milana closed her eyes, stealing a curious glance from the golden-haired woman while the youngest boy by her side glanced at my ancestor through his closed eyes. The malice in the boy made me smile in spite of myself before a new look surprised appeared on my face at the sight of a whole halo of leaf flying around their trio. And all this, under the power of Milana. Now I knew it was just a trick, but for a young witch like Milana, it seemed pretty powerful._

 _The golden-haired woman even let out a breath before showing a wide smile. "Milana, it's not worthy of a girl to cheer up."  
_

 _"I'm only trying to help, Kol._ _"_ _She replied in a falsely innocent tone as I could see a slight smirk curl her lips.  
_

 _"Mother ! "  
_

 _"Kol._ _"_ _My ancestor moaned suddenly as the boy gave her a slight nudge to destroy her concentration. "You, sheening. "  
_

 _The boy immediately turned to the girl, pulling his childish tongue before suddenly grabbing a handful of mud. I barely had time to call for Milana to let out a little cry at the feeling of earth in her face.  
_

 _"Oh, you'll regret it."  
_

 _And just like that, a mud battle was declared._

 _My gaze immediately turned to the woman with the long blond hair braided just to see her shake her head on the two young with a small smile on her pale pink lips. She seemed to have a sort of sparkle in her eyes as she gauged the duet that did not seem so innocuous to me. I leaned my head out of sight before transferring my eyes to the duo just to freeze at the sight of two newcomers.  
_

 _"Elijah._ _"_ _The first word left my lips as I watched the young man come out of the wood with a bow in his hand and that famous, breathtaking smile.  
_

 _The latter was holding a version a little younger than him of Klaus leaving me a face grimace. I still let my eyes linger on his slender figure despite myself before returning my attention to the boy and Milana. These last two still seemed in their little battle when suddenly the boy was literally up in the air.  
_

 _He seemed barely shaken by the impromptu action as he let out a grunt before pointing his dark eyes to the girl below him. "Make me go down little fool."  
_

 _"Makes me."Replied young Milana instilling more laughter in the woman as well as in the newcomers.  
_

 _"It looks like you're in a pretty loquacious situation, brother._ _"_ _Klaus teased as he gave a sneering look at the still levitating brown scotching him.  
_

 _However, it was not long before he was dropped on the floor at the amused request of Elijah."Milana, don't you pity him?"  
_

 _"He got what he deserved._ _"_ _The brunette said confidently as she gave a confident look at the young brown lying on the floor.  
_

 _The latter hit the ground in frustration before pointing to her as he rose with suppleness. He seemed on the verge of throwing himself on her only Nicklaus himself stepped in front of her with a grin defying his brother to approach. Obviously, the young boy seemed more motivated as he rushed on Klaus, starting a new fight much more aggressive. Milana immediately stood back with a broad smile curving her lips as she watched the duet spoiled around.  
_

 _One thing I had learned about her, Milana had a facetious wit. She seemed to enjoy the embarrassing situations of others. And especially the brothers around her.  
_

 _Suddenly, I found myself approaching as I saw Elijah approach her with his bow still in hand."You shouldn't revel in such a spectacle."  
_

 _"Because I'm supposed to be fragile and delicate._ _"_ _Milana immediately replied, turning to Elijah with a broad, bright smile.  
_

 _I was almost certain that I had not smiled that way for some time. It was almost strange to see that smile on my face._

 _"Because you could hurt yourself._ _"_ _Elijah replied with real concern for her, letting me smile again at the sight of the soon-to-be-vamped human.  
_

 _He was just as enticing if not more in human version. It was honestly a surprise to know that Milana and Klaus were in love when we knew they were just arguing.  
_

 _However, I could still detect a source of interest in both as Milana suddenly leaned toward Elijah. "You are always there to watch over me, Lijah."  
_

 _And like that, Milana put a chaste kiss on his cheek suddenly calling the other two men fighting on the ground. I raised my eyebrows as I could jealousy not on one but two faces on the floor while Milana kept her attention on Elijah and only on him. At the sight of her little smile and Elijah's look of false reprimand, it was certain to say that she knew exactly what she was doing. I watched intently as Milana suddenly grabbed her dress in her fists to avoid stepping on it before giving Elijah a mischievous look. She raised her suggestive eyebrows before abruptly pivoting gracefully on her heels as she turned to Klaus and the boy, Kol.  
_

 _She displayed a huge smile at the sight of their expressions visibly annoyed before suddenly start in a race towards the blond to deposit a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Tag, you're it!"  
_

 _The blond instantly flashed a surprised look before suddenly tripping over the mud as he tried to get up in hurry. "Milana! You're cheating!"  
_

 _I found myself smiling in spite of myself as I saw Nicklaus's receding back through the woods.  
_

I leapt out of my dream with a panting breath before glancing around my dorm room to anchor myself back into the real world. A dull sound echoed around me, just letting out a curse when I saw all my stuff falling to the floor like magic. (No pun intended).

I let out a groan, holding my forehead to the now familiar sensation of a nascent headache before grimacing at the feeling of my nightwear sticking to my body. It had become a habit to wake up with excruciating headache and soaking clothes. At this point, I had even contemplated the idea of just sleeping in the bathtub. And I was not even talking about the humid and horribly stifling atmosphere of New Orleans.

It did not help these episodes in any way.

I could feel a push along my limbs just making my eyes roll in response as I pulled the sheets off my body to get out of bed.

"God, woman! Give me time to wake up." I grunted under my breath before letting a yawn pass my lips as I raised my arms over my head to stretch.

The last few weeks had been more than instructive in my cohabitation with Milana.

First of all, I learned that she had no intention of slipping me away from my own body. After the episode of the microwave explosion, she knew she needed me to survive in this era. Then it would seem that her mind, her dreams and her memories were not the only result of our convergence. The mere sight of objects lying on the floor of my little student room was enough to explain the effects of our convergence in itself.

Now I understood absolutely everything and I was not particularly fond of all that knowledge. Simply because it made the thing definitely more rea-

I felt a new thrust in my body letting my fists clench as I took a deep breath at the impatient temper of my roommate before just rolling my eyes as I headed for the bathroom. She was really complicated at the beginning, and even then I find myself in deep frustration with Milana but most of the time we find common ground.

I crossed the entrance of the bathroom by giving a simple gesture of the hand to light the candles around the room before starting to remove the wet bra from my trunk before moving to my shorts wide. I let the whole thing rest on the oak floor before turning the tub valves while climbing inside. I did not even bother pulling the shower curtain as I ran my head under the shower head before closing my eyes, taking advantage of the feeling of renewal that the water was giving me.

I threw my head back as I let the water run down my naked body before grabbing the soap and almond shower gel lying on the edge of the tub. Then, I began a long moment of relaxation by passing the soap along my body.

It was a fact that I had discovered from Milana. She seemed always troubled by the difference of our silhouettes. If we had the same face and the same shapes, she was fleshier at the time. According to her impressions, my pelvis seemed too narrow and the sensation of the muscles of my abdomen disturbed her. My pear-shaped breasts looked too small and my collarbone was much too big. Conversely, she seemed fully satisfied with my bulging thighs and buttocks bounces. I stayed an extra moment under the jet of hot water before finally cutting the water. I ran my hands along my neck to relieve the tense feeling of my muscles before throwing my hair back to the side. I twisted this last to wring out the excess of water before getting out of the tub by throwing them back on my back.

I grabbed the fluffy towel lying on the towel rail against the wall before wrapping it around my wet body. I made sure to secure it at the base of my breasts before walking back to my room. It was also the main room of my little studio. After my hurried departure, it was the only thing I could afford since I did not attend John and Jenna's testamentary reading. Plus, I was way too young to collect so much money so it only left me with the bare essentials provided on my current accounts. Hence the reason why I had to apply for a job in a small local bar in addition to my classes.

A new sigh suddenly left my lips as I took a critical look at most of my things now lying on the floor before raising my hand. I closed my eyes to concentrate since it still represented a lot for my body before reopening them to the agreement of objects moving by themselves. A simple smile curved my lips as I watched the items settle on their own, before suddenly displaying a bored look at Milana's sarcastic impression. If I was satisfied with my accomplishment, she seemed more annoyed by the weakness of my inexperienced body.

It was obvious that she was a powerful witch and the little party trick was not her cup of tea.

Nevertheless, she lived in my body and she had to live with it.

With that thought, I regained my calm mood before glancing out the open window overlooking the French Quarter. A smile bowed my lips as I watched the most determined finally make their way home while the few musicians at night still awake leaving room for those days.

New Orleans was a magical city. In every sense of the word since I learned that a large witch population resided there, but that was another story for later. What I meant was that New Orleans was a total change for me. And although the circumstances of my departure were not particularly reassuring, I could not help but praise my choice to leave.

Even more when my phone was still ringing like it was right now. I glanced over my shoulder with an irritated pout before moving to retrieve it.

Obviously, Milana was still bored by the device.

I detached my phone from the charger as I watched the screen become dark again showing that the call had ended. I slid my finger across the screen just to squint my lips at the sight of the multitude of missed calls, messages, and notifications that appeared one after the other. Clearly, the Mystic Falls gang did not really understand the purpose of the escape. And especially Damon. If I thought kissing him on his hypothetical death bed was a good idea, I could now say it was completely stupid. The vampire called me constantly and his voice messages threatened to overload my mail.

As I predicted, my feelings, though persistent, were not as strong as when I was me. And even if I wanted to blame Milana for that, I knew that part of me was there for something too. Deciding to just ignore the vampire, I went to my sister's calls. I gave her a tiny importance only for Stefan's sake. Elena had found the good idea to update me on their search for the vampire. It seems that Klaus and Stefan had gone on a mission of bonding time between the blood addict and the altar psychopath.

I read texts containing newspaper articles that could match the atrocious acts of the two vampires before finally moving on to Jeremy. Except for Felix, who was also strangely silent for the last days, my twin was the only person to whom I condescended to give my news.

It was probably the only thing that prevented Damon from landing in the Big Easy for that matter. He knew I was alive and took my ignorance for the fruit of my usual character. I just typed the usual message containing just three lines before pressing send. After that, I rested the phone without much interest before walking straight to my dresser. I pulled out the first drawer to pull out skinny black jeans with a simple purple-colored ample tank top before tossing the set on top of my undone bed. I was not long in swapping my towel for a pair of sexy underwear since Milana seemed particularly appreciated this evolution.

Anyway, once dressed, I went back into the bathroom to pass a comb in my knots before braiding with elegance my long brown curls. It seems that Milana was finally getting used to the length and I was even humming during the whole process. I even applied a light layer of make-up finishing with a touch of rosy gloss on my full lips before going to my room to prepare my bag for the day. I flung out most of my books for my afternoon classes before catching my red leather jacket and brown boots with heels. I ended up throwing the strap of my bag on my shoulder before making my way outside my small studio.

I was running down the unstable stairs before finally closing my eyelids, taking a deep breath in the feeling of the sun's rays warming my skin. I was bathing in the warm, moist New Orleans feeling before venturing into the busy streets with a sense of fascination and comfort. It was really the place I needed after the last year.

* * *

 **4th July**

The day of independence.

In Mystic Falls, it used to be one day celebrated by festivities and great receptions between family founders. So it was a first for me.

I let a smile curl my lips as I reveled in the animation and noise filling the bar Rousseau while I let myself simply be carried away by the movement. There were so many people to serve and to satisfy that there was simply no room for thought or daydreams.

"Hey, sweetie, here!"

"A combo and a beer for table 5."

A burst of laughter.

Jazz music drumming at full speed and the intermingled voices of customers celebrating a day of union and freedom for our country.

I showed a broad smile as I put down a beer in front of one of our regulars, Thierry. "Here and tell Marcel to come get his own bottle of bourbon. I have no time to personally serve his majesty."

Thierry showed a wide smile amused by my temper before shaking his head as he pushed himself from the bar while tilting his cap."Noted."

I shook my head on the vampire, yes vampire before turning my attention to other customers. It seems that this city did not only contain witches but also vampires. The latter knew absolutely nothing of my knowledge. That was probably why they were so enjoying my impetuous attitude. They thought I was totally ignorant but on the contrary. Actually, I was the one who was playing with them. I knew all there was to know about the ruthless vampires of this city as well as the witch rivalries, vampires and even werewolves.

For the moment all these species lived in a kind of agreement but Milana could strangely feel the tension rising between all the species. That was why she had told me to hide from everyone's eyes. Including my employers. The Devereaux were a witch family and seemed intrinsically involved in the community. Well except for Sophie, but she was just too wild to be enchained by the magic of the ancestors. She was my favorite witch. Jeanne-Anne had the gift of making Milana nervous with her suspicious glances, and Monique, although still a child, urged me to stay on my guard around her. All in all, Sophie remained the witch who satisfied both parts of me and that was enough for me.

Sometimes I saw Milana as a kind of extra firewall even though she did not really like that comparison.

"Gilbert! Send a bottle!" Hail suddenly a familiar voice over the cacophony just making me shake my head at the sight of Sophie dancing on the counter.

I immediately turned on my heels before throwing the cloth on my shoulder as I grabbed a bottle of vodka from the shelf. I then turned to Sophie as she continued her little number before handing her the bottle and a shaker. The witch was the queen of cocktails. She let out a scream as she addressed the crowd before starting to juggle the bottles.

Soon enough, the arrival of new customers entering the already well-packed bar forced me to take my attention away from the witch just to get up at the sight of two young witches trying to make their way through the crowd. One of them happened to be Monique. She was easily recognizable with her chocolate brown skin and her typically Afro crimped hair. She had an already slender figure at the height of her fourteen years.

However, my attention soon fell on the other little witch. Davina Claire. She was Monique's best friend and also a witch. She had long curly brown hair encircling her round face and illuminating her eyes with a crystalline blue. Her porcelain skin only completed her doll look. She was absolutely adorable and seemed to display an almost touching fragility. It was obvious to say that despite their nature; these little witches were still innocent. They were typical teenagers with crush and little girls' problems. They were literally the reminder of what I was not and what I would never be.

It had been a long time since this innocence had been taken away and with the living being with me, I knew that I could never find that part of myself.

I remembered the first time I met Davina at the bar. She had come looking for Monique and being the curious little witch, she was, she had asked me about my background story. It was at that moment that Milana had thought it wise to cast a spell on me to hide some supernatural beings around me. I gave her the simple basic story. I came from Virginia and had the opportunity to come for an internship here. My young age did not fail to impress her and she suddenly decided to become my friend during the summer.

I immediately approached the duo as they reached the bar before raising an eyebrow in expectancy. "What do I serve you girls?"

"Wow, wow, Monique!"Sophie suddenly exclaimed from the bar interrupting the brunette to answer as all of Sophie's party companions turned to the duet in front of me. "Everyone, it's my niece, Monique!"

The whole bar began to chant the name of the little witch letting me laugh as I turned to the shelves to prepare their usual drinks. I turned around with the glasses in my hands just to focus my attention on Davina as I saw Monique trying to get her aunt out of the bar in embarrassment.

"Here, little one." I hover over the cacophony of the bar before giving a secret glance at the brunette to accompany my next statement as I leaned over the bar. "I heard Tim was going to perform on stage later in the evening."

A wide look with a slight blush on her cheeks immediately occupied her plump face as she gave me an enthusiastic look. " Really?"

"Mhm, mhm ..." I huffed with a mischievous smile before suddenly turning my head to the small kitchen at the understanding of my name being hailed. " One minute. "

I walked away from the little witch crossing the bar before stopping at the entrance to the kitchen to give a look at Jeanne-Anne waiting.

"Ah, you are here." The brunette said rubbing her hands with flour before giving me a sympathetic look despite the anxious feeling bubbling inside my chest."You have not stopped since this morning. You should take a break."

To be honest, a break was not really a refusal.

I cast an uncertain glance over my shoulder over the bar filled before casting an uncertain look at the elder Devereaux. "Are you sure you'll be able to manage?"

Jeanne-Anne hummed in agreement before displaying an annoyed grimace on the open entry overlooking the bar. "Well, once I have managed to get my sister away from the bottles."

"She is a real party animal." I agreed with a slight smirk.

Jeanne-Anne tilted her head in agreement letting me push of the crack before heading to the back door. I was not slow to release a deep sigh once in the cooler air of the night. I ignored the equally prominent noise in the cheerful streets of New Orleans before taking my phone out of the pocket of my loose leather shorts. I turned on the screen with my thumb before creasing my lips at the sight of the many missed calls as usual.

Realizing that tonight was a full moon night, I dialed Caroline's number with a sense of trepidation. I had learned why Felix did not return my messages and calls in the last month. It turned out he had a terrible accident with his father. The latter was dead on the spot unfortunately nature had a very twisted way of expressing her need. It was thus that Felix had started his curse and now, Tyler and Caroline were on the watch for the new wolf.

I wanted to go back to this news immediately, but the blond vampire had personally called me to tell me that Felix did not want to see me. At least not until Klaus remained a threat to me.

I waited a moment with the phone against my ear as I stared at the full moon rising a little higher up in the sky before leaning against the nearest wall as I came across the vampire's voicemail. Realizing that she must have been busy with two werewolves now on her arms, I hung up before flipping through my last missed calls.

Not surprisingly, Damon seemed the most usual in all my missed calls and strangely, I suddenly felt the need to call him. I stared my screen at the idea with my thumb hovering on the screen before suddenly straightening up at the sight of his flashing name on the screen.

It seems that the vampire had already decided for me as I resigned myself to answer in hesitation. "Damon. "

My response was received by a long, heavy silence, showing Damon's surprise as I stared at the end of my boots with a deep sense of guilt.

"Mila." The vampire finally breath into bewilderment before quickly recovering his spirits."So ... you finally deign to answer me. "

I winced at the clumsiness and accusation in his tone before trying to act like my old self in his regard. "Well, I have never really appreciated answering you."

A breath of laughter who seemed really relieved can be heard on the other side of the conversation before Damon's voice resumed. "How does New Orleans treat you?"

"Well. I have not had any life or death situation yet." I replied, shrugging my shoulders before walking up and down the alley. "I go to class during the day and I have a little job as a bartender in the local bar."

"You? A job ? in a bar ?" Repeated the vampire with a hint of disbelief before resuming in a suggestive tone. "Bartenders have always been my weak point."

I rolled my eyes to his advances before replying sarcastically. "You mean bourbon has always been your weak point."

"Touché." The vampire agreed before leaving a strangely comfortable silence between us.

At least it was until he left his thoughts in the open, creating a deep sense of discomfort and objection in the depths of my heart."I really miss you Mila."

I was swallowing the nauseous sensation that Milana was producing in my stomach before deciding to change the subject in an attempt to dispel this discomfort. "Elena ... Elena told me you lost track on Stefan."

"Yeah, I wouldn't talk about that with you. I already have enough of a girlfriend at home chewing in my ears for an eternity." Complained the vampire, letting me imagine the hell he was living alongside my sister.

Of course, she was not going to leave Stefan like that. And even if it gave me a feeling of reassurance since the vampire had been my best friend once, I was still mad at her. Maybe not to hit her like before I left, but I still felt Milana's strong, clear dislike in my veins.

However, that was not what worried me at the moment. " I see. And Caroline? Is she ... well, Felix ... "

"Baby Gilbert is on duty for the first full moon of the brat. You must believe that they really developed a friendship during your absence. After all, they are both miserable without you."Damon replied, letting me imagine his bored expression. "On the other hand, they are the ones who make me miserable. Did you know that kid is still testing my buttons? I'm on the verge of tearing his heart."

I did not know the deadly tone of his voice at the mere thought before tightening my grip on my phone. "Damon ..."

"Yeah, yeah, I know the rule. Don't touch Wolfie." He muttered, letting me imagine the roll of his blue eyes.

The sound of the glass tinkling against a surface resounds on the other side, letting me imagine the vampire using a faithful glass of alcohol. He just used to treat his thoughts with alcohol. It also indicated to me that he was troubled by something.

I narrowed my lips as I glanced over my shoulder at the bar looking even more packed if it were even possible before glancing at the dark alley. "Do you want to tell me what concerns you?"

"You mean except you're not here and I'm dying to tear heads?" The vampire questioned rhetorically, making me wince again at the importance he brought me. He let out a deep sigh forcing me to bring importance to his words. "I'm about to crack, Mila. Stefan seems more and more lost and your sister who keeps waiting for me to take his place in the department of holiness, it's just ..."

"Too much." I finished for him knowingly before lowering my eyes on my boots again. "I'm sorry I ignored your calls, Damon. "

"Nah, don't start pitying me, little Gilbert. It may taint my style." The vampire grumbled again. "I know for sure why you left. I don't like it but I accept it. Because I know now that I must respect your choices."

I could not help but feel an ounce of affection for the vampire to agree to his resignation. Without waiting, it immediately led to a feeling of objection from Milana. However, I shook my head unconsciously as I decided to let a surge of affection return. "If things had been different maybe ..."

Suddenly, I found myself unable to say anything as I narrowed my lips, letting my eyelids close in a sense of struggle. Without realizing it, my thumb hovered on my screen before disconnecting the call without my consent. I could feel my limbs suddenly shaking as I struggled for control before suddenly giving a startled scream at the sight of the few lights exploding around me.

I widened my eyes as I pushed myself against the wall for protection before suddenly turning my head to the side, suddenly releasing my phone to the agreement of exclamation from Sophie. "You're a witch."

* * *

 ** _With this I close out Chrysalis Stage. Thank you all so much for reading this story. If you are interested in how the story continues please check out Butterfly Effect, the link to which can be found on my author's page._**


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